<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>All Together Now by Watthefuckidk</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28889484">All Together Now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Watthefuckidk/pseuds/Watthefuckidk'>Watthefuckidk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Old Garage [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Found Family, Illegal Car Racing, Joe and Booker are bros, Kid Fic, Like to the nth degree, M/M, Nuclear families are for losers, Street Racing, grad student nile, mechanic!AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:55:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28889484</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Watthefuckidk/pseuds/Watthefuckidk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A continuation in the racing 'verse in "From Italy, With Love" that takes place several months after that fic but can be read as a stand alone!</p><p>Plot: </p><p>With the news of his wife's sudden passing, Booker becomes a single parent to his two young boys. A story where street racing and child rearing can go hand in hand if you close one eye and squint, Joe and Nicky become the delightful gay uncles they've always wanted to be, and Andy finally shares her top secret baklava recipe. Above all, family can get you through it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Booker | Sebastien le Livre/Nile Freeman, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Old Garage [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Minor Fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! Warning for off screen minor character death and broken sobriety this chapter- don't worry it gets better from here.</p><p>No editing we die like the Guard, annoyed and with an update tomorrow</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Old Garage lived up to it’s name not just because of the countless antique vehicles the mechanics worked on, but because the building itself was as old as many of the old cars that passed through it’s wide doors. It was never fully quiet. The wooden floors of the office and waiting room popped as the temperature shifted, the walls of the garage groaned and the doors creaked as they settled in their frames. Even empty and locked up for the night the old building carried on it’s own sort of conversation- one that very few heard.</p><p>Nile was one of the few people that listened to the stories the walls had to tell so late at night. As a grad student the garage was as good of a place as any to get her assignments done, and it came with the added benefit of cars to fix up and distract herself with when academics got too tedious or overwhelming. Tonight she was attempting to finish her art history comparative analysis essay contrasting the sculpture Doryphoros by Polykleitos and David by Donatello, which was only two thirds done but already exceeding its page limit.</p><p>The yellowed clock face over the door to the waiting room and office reminded her of the late hour, stubborn in its refusal to stand still. Nile sighed, the sound echoing off of the metal work table she was sitting at, and rubbed her eyes until she saw bright constellations behind her lids. If she was being honest with herself the words on her laptop screen had begun to swim hours ago, before Joe and Nicky had even closed up the shop and left her to finish her paper.</p><p>Even if this paper wasn’t going to get done tonight, she could at least finish the repairs on the old Jaguar E-type sitting in her berth. It had been refinished in a gorgeous powder blue, a throwback to the sixties when it had been made. The issues it had been brought in for were common, a rich type who liked luxury cars but didn’t actually know how to drive them if they were made before 2002. She had been surprised the gear box wasn’t an original with how worn out it was. Joe had winced when she’d shown it to him while Nicky levely offered to cut off the man’s hands for harming such a beautiful vehicle. She’d refused, but only after Joe became alarmed that she may actually take Nicky up on his offer.</p><p>Neither of them doubted Nicky’s willingness.</p><p>She popped the hood for the last time, looking over the newly replaced parts and checking the oil, just in case. Everything was fit to go once she replaced the subframe tubes in the front and put a last coat of rust preventative on the fuel pumps. Her can was empty from coating the rest of the damn engine in it, as it had come in with none (none!), so she stretched out the kinks in her back and went in search of the new order.</p><p>Andy’s mess of a work table proved to be unhelpful, as did Joe’s slightly more tidy station. She patted at the purple headscarf she was wearing and thought about where she would put new cans of anti-rust if she were Nicky.</p><p>She snapped her fingers. Of course, the storage closet they never used but Nicky insisted was there for a reason.</p><p>The door to the waiting room groaned loudly as Nile forced it open. It was a warm night for the fall and there had been some light rainfall that had escaped her notice while she had been so focused in the garage. Through the windows of the waiting room she could see the badly illuminated parking lot, shimmering wetly in the light of the one street light that her Camaro was parked under. Also in the small parking lot was Nicky’s Spyder, currently hidden underneath a cover partly because of the rain, but mostly because Nicky had been spotted in a recent race by a cop that wasn’t on the race’s payroll. They knew from their informants that they hadn’t caught a plate, but a white Spyder was a noticeable car. Nicky had been mad at the organizers for the sloppy mistake, but had backed off when they added to the race prize to compensate for trouble on their part.</p><p>The worn couches in the waiting room looked even more tired in the combined moon and lamplight, but it also lent them an air of romance that the worn room usually lacked. Nile smiled softly at the feeling of home that washed over her before she hopped over the register counter and headed towards the office. It was pitch black inside as the office only had two windows that looked onto the back lot which lacked a light, but Nile didn’t bother turning on a light to traverse the familiar room.</p><p>Once she’d pried that door open- it was ironic how much WD-40 was needed on the doors in the garage- she did take out her phone to use it as a flashlight while she searched through the meticulously organized closet. Nicky’s work for sure. There on the second shelf were six neatly stacked tins of anti-rust and Nile set down her phone to put them on the other side of the closet. That would put a burr underneath Nicky’s skin, she thought with all the vindictiveness of a younger sibling getting the better of an older one.</p><p>She was about to leave with one of the cans when the sound of the front door being clumsily unlocked made her crouch down, immediately on alert. It was unusual for one of her teammates to come back to the garage this late, they all had comfortable apartments to return to that made for better sleeping places than the lumpy waiting room couches. That was the unmistakable click of the front lock, however, it was never dumb to play it safe.</p><p>Nile flicked the flashlight off and crept out of the closet, peeking around the open office door just in time to see the front door swing closed but miss the figure that had opened it. The cheery bell that she and Booker had installed to make sure Nicky realized people had come into the shop was still ringing as she crept up to the counter. In the other room she could hear the sound of heavy footsteps and a slight tinkle of jewelry but little else. Nile took a deep but quiet breath and peeked over the counter top, only to see Booker shucking out of his jacket clumsily. She sighed loudly and hopped over the counter, certain that Nicky would see her shoe print on it’s shiny surface in the morning.</p><p>“Jesus, Book you nearly had me calling Andy to fend off a burglary.”</p><p>She bounced her heels off the wall and the advertisements covering it crinkled lightly, the sound soft in the dark room. Booker swung around but misjudged his angle and overbalanced himself, falling back onto the couch. Nile was off the counter and going to steady him before he was fully seated and his hand grappled at her arm desperately until he realized the couch was behind him and relaxed. Nile frowned, Booker was never so uncoordinated.</p><p>“Booker-?” She paused as she took him his face, lit by the limited light coming in from outside. His cheeks were flushed and his pupils reacted badly. Her hand, where it was on his wrist, could feel the too fast and fluttering pulse beneath her fingers.</p><p>“Are you drunk?”</p><p>She asked him point blank, completely lost. She’d been working for the Old Garage for over two years and had never seen Booker drink a single drop. She didn’t know how long he’d been sober, but knew it was important to him. What on earth had happened between closing time and now? Booker was making a very french sound and waving her off clumsily, not fully managing to shake off her hand, which she used to still him.</p><p>“Booker what’s going on? Are you okay?” She crouched down in front of him and could now smell the whiskey in his breath and see the tears gathering in his eyes.</p><p>“Book?” She swept his hair back from where it had dropped over his eyes, his skin was feverish. “You’ve got to talk to me Book, tell me what’s going on.”</p><p>Booker looked away but not before she saw one of the tears that had gathered fall.</p><p>“She’s gone.” He whispered. His voice was rough with disuse and cracked slightly.</p><p>“Who’s gone?”</p><p>“Anastasie.” he whispered, then grew mad in a heartbeat. “Anastasie!” He yelled, but not at her. Nile was opening her mouth to ask who Anastasie was when he drew in a shuddering breath and looked at her, tears running down his face freely now.</p><p>“My wife is dead.”</p><p>Nile felt like she was frozen in place as Booker broke down in front of her. It was a quiet sort of breaking, as if his yell earlier were the only volume he possessed and was now left to let everything out without the use of his voice. She brought her other hand up to stroke his back gently and the muscles shook under her hand. Nile’s head was thinking quickly, trying to recall everything that had ever been mentioned about Booker’s past. Only once had he spoken about it to her, but that was only to mention that he had almost completed his doctorate before joining the garage. From the other’s she’d learned of his drinking and his ex-wife, who had taken his sons without a word across the country to Washington, D.C. and left him the divorce papers on the dining room table and a mortgage to pay.</p><p>“No matter what he may have done- no one deserves that.”</p><p>She could hear Nicky’s voice in her head and picture Joe’s soft eyes filled with pain for his friend.</p><p>“When his son was killed a few months later he dropped out of the program,” Joe had continued, “she didn’t let him go to the funeral and barred him from the other two. That’s when the drinking got really bad and somewhere in there he found us.”</p><p>Sometimes it was easy to forget that Nicky and Joe hadn’t been together for every part of their lives, the way they spoke and moved together. It was as if they forgot to be separate people, so wrapped up as they were in the other. She never hated them for it, though. Knowing Joe before Nicky she had thought something was missing, though that now seemed to be the distant past to her.</p><p>“Booker I’m so sorry.” She said at last, when he had calmed enough under her hands that she thought he would listen. “When did you hear?”</p><p>“After I left work.” He croaked, and Nile left to grab a water bottle from the fridge. He continued after taking a few grateful sips.</p><p>“Her lawyer called me, said it was an aneurysm? Something like that. I need to take the boys. They don’t have anyone else.” He looked disgusted with himself. “I can’t be what they need.”</p><p>Nile pursed her lips, apparently Booker was a melancholy drunk.</p><p>“What those boys need right now is a parent, they’re not going to care what shape you come in. When can you get them?”</p><p>“I need to prove I can take care of them first.” he said bleakly. “Income, house, everything like that.” Tears started to fall again. “I’m not sure I can.”</p><p>“You’re not doing this alone Book, we’ll be right there with you.” He turned to her, his voice whisper quiet again.</p><p>“I can’t ask that.”</p><p>“You’re not asking Booker, I’m telling. The others will agree, we’re your family now. This is how family works.”</p><p>She knew without a doubt that the others would agree with what she was saying, but she also knew that Booker could be an extraordinary difficult ass when he wanted to be. To her surprise he just dropped his head and nodded, sniffling loudly.</p><p>“Okay, yeah. Thank you.”</p><p>Nile just patted his back awkwardly, leaning back on the couch to try and give Booker some space to pull himself together. She spoke after a few moments.</p><p>“Why did you come here? <em>How</em> did you come here?”</p><p>He snorted, and pinched the bridge of his nose as if his hangover were already setting in.</p><p>“I live on this street, but on the west end. The first time I found this place I’d put my address into the rideshare wrong and ended up here. That was the last time I drank until now. Last time I’d used the app too.”</p><p>He cursed for a moment in french and took another swig of water. It seemed that he was not as drunk as Nile had first thought. Either that or he was sobering up quickly.</p><p>“I guess that’s in the bin now.” He muttered.</p><p>“Nothing that can’t be rebuilt Book.” Nile told him softly, and caught the end of a small smile as she stood up.</p><p>“Come on, you’re crashing at mine and we’ll have a family meeting here in the morning. It’s a Sunday anyways, we’ll be closed.”</p><p>Booker gave her an unreadable look through his lashes and for a moment Nile second guessed herself. He was a fully grown man whose life had just taken yet another unprecedented turn, he could very well want nothing but to be alone. She doubted it though. Why else would he come back to the garage so late on a Saturday night but to feel some form of family? He’d found her by luck or fate and this is what she thought should be done. Maybe they could stop for tacos on the way into the shop tomorrow.</p><p>Booker drained the rest of the water bottle and stood, much more steady but tired. It was as if someone had carved more years into his face and frame. Nile couldn’t help but pat one of his big shoulders.</p><p>“Let me grab my bag, I’ll meet you at the car.”</p><p>He nodded and stepped around her to the door. The bell broke the charged atmosphere of the room as he left, but in his absence the quiet felt hollow and artificial. Quickly, Nile grabbed her laptop and bag out of the garage, closing the hood of the E-type softly. Through the windows of the waiting room she could see Booker’s big silhouette standing by the Camaro, his shoulders curved inward and hands shoved deep in his pockets. She paused for a moment, taking in the picture. She and Booker had always been friends, playing pranks on Joe then Joe and Nicky; it was Booker in her ear at her races while Andy covered Joe and sometimes Nicky. He was the one to help her choose an art concentration when she couldn’t narrow down her list. In all that he had never leaned on her in the way he was now. She knew he was a lot better than he used to be, that he’d made leaps from where he had been, but that was all from other’s point of view. Belatedly, she wondered how he saw these past few years of his life.</p><p>It didn’t take a genius to see that tonight was a low for him, but he had a support system that he hadn’t had before. He had Andy’s hard won wisdom and her top secret baklava recipe, Joe with his wonderful hugs and patience, Nicky and his quiet jokes but iron will. He had <em>them</em>. It would be a hard road ahead, but Nile felt confident their little family could make it.</p><p>Feeling more at ease, Nile exited and stopped to lock the door behind her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Happy Dinosaurs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After a family meeting and the much needed airing of emotions and declarations of support the group helps Booker prepare his house for his sons return.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Something a bit lighter to make up for the angst of the first chapter! Enjoy!</p><p>(As always, this is entirely unedited because I write everything in one sitting and loathe editing.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They did get breakfast tacos the next morning, after Nile had woken to one of her roommates flirting shamelessly with a shockingly not hungover Booker. She laughed silently over his predicament for a moment before coming in to rescue the poor man. Her roommates could be a lot at the best of times and she was just grateful that Dizzy and Jay were still asleep.</p><p>“Come on Book, you know how bad the line gets at Marco’s after nine.”</p><p>Booker’s head had snapped to her and he put down the purple floral coffee mug quickly, thanking Nile’s roommate for the coffee and making half hearted apologies as she ushered him out the door.</p><p>Tacos sitting safely in Booker’s lap Nile turned into the Old Garage parking lot just a few hours after they had left, this time Andy’s dually and Nicky’s Alfa Romeo parked in their regular spots. Booker didn’t make a move when Nile cut the engine and she realized that he’d barely spoken the whole morning. His shoulders were even more tense than usual and his eyebrows were drawn together tightly.</p><p>“When I look upset my mom always tells me that my face will freeze like that.” she told him wryly, and he chuckled quietly. The eyebrows stayed together, but at least his shoulders came down from their position around his ears.</p><p>“I feel like I did when she first left.” he admitted at length. “Like I don’t know which way to turn and terrified I might choose the wrong way.” He heaved out a shuddering sigh and Nile thought he was going to continue, but he stayed quiet.</p><p>“You don’t have to choose alone. It is scary, but we’ll all be scared together. Now come on, I think you need a hug from Joe.”</p><p>Booker did smile at that and got out of the car when Nile did, clutching the bag of tacos close to his chest. Before they had taken a dozen steps the door to Andy’s berth rolled up high enough for Joe to duck under it and head to them, Andy catching the bottom to finish opening it all the way. She and Nicky followed behind Joe at a more sedate pace.</p><p>Nicky was watching Booker with sad eyes while he got wrapped in Joe’s arms, but Nile found Andy’s eyes on her. Nile nodded at the question in the other woman’s eyes. She was okay, this whole citation was a lot, but she felt she was handling it well. Joe finally released Booker and Nile missed the words they exchanged before Joe reached for her to wrap around her like an octopus. Over his shoulder, she saw Booker get drawn into another hug with Andy, her slender hand cupping the back of his neck gently.</p><p>“We didn’t want to interrupt if you two were having a moment.” Joe explained once he released her and Nile had gotten a quicker hug from Nicky. Booker was still holding Andy, his face hidden in her shoulder. The three of them retreated to the garage, Nicky wisely grabbing the taco bag from Booker as they passed.</p><p>“How are you doing Nile?” Nicky, ever to the point, asked her once they settled in on the couches in the waiting room.</p><p>“Yeah, how you holding up?” Joe asked. He was at the counter sorting through the foil wrapped tacos. Nile caught the one he tossed her one handed while she thought about the answer.</p><p>“I’m pretty good I think. There’s nothing like your friend’s life being upended to put your term papers into perspective.”</p><p>The two men chuckled and Joe went to sit by Nicky, putting his legs in the other man’s lap as he stretched out. Nicky promptly used his shins as a table to unwrap his taco, which was likely Joe’s intent.</p><p>“Honestly though I’m doing okay, it was just a long night last night. I think it’ll be good for him to know we’re going to be here with him.”</p><p>Nicky hmmed and Joe snapped his fingers and pointed at her.</p><p>“Exactly,” he said, “there’s no way we’re going to let him teach those kids that Hugo is a good writer without someone around to correct him.”</p><p>Nicky rolled his eyes but Nile and Joe were still chuckling when Andy and Booker walked in. No one mentioned their red rimmed eyes.</p><p>“Did you leave any for us?” Andy asked rhetorically, grabbing one of the salsa verde containers and tossing Booker’s taco over to him. He sat in their sole arm chair while Andy took up the space next to Nile.</p><p>They ate in silence for the most part aside from when Andy crunched her foil into a ball and tossed it at Joe’s head when he was speaking quietly to Nicky, only to blame it on Nile. Andy made a pot of coffee and once everyone was settled down again, a heavier silence blanketed the sunny room. Booker spoke first, clearing his throat but keeping his gaze on the floor.</p><p>“I relapsed last night instead of reaching out to any of you, and for that I am sorry. I can’t say that it will never happen again but I will do my very best to make sure that it doesn’t, because my two boys need a new home.” It sounded as if he had been rehearsing what he was going to say in his head. “They left when they were 5 and 7, which would make them 8 and 10 now. I wasn’t the best father, but I want to become a better one.” He finally looked up at them, his eyes clear and bright. “The only thing is that I know I can’t do it alone. I know it’s a lot to ask, but you’ve all been family to me in a way I never knew was possible, and I’d like you to be a family to my boys too. It might not be the norm, or what they’re expecting, but it’s what I have to offer. That is, if you agree. If you don’t, that’s okay too. Like I said, it’s a lot to ask.”</p><p>His head dropped at the end, studying the dark coffee in his mug, but his eyes flicked up to watch their faces nervously. Nile was reminded of the stray dog that used to wander around her neighborhood back in Chicago. One of the families had lured it into their backyard but it had spent weeks curled up in the corner, terrified of the people trying to help it. Nile didn’t speak, knowing that Booker already knew where she stood on the subject. Instead, it was Andy who responded.</p><p>“Of course we’ll be there for you Book, and your boys. Anything you need- just ask.”</p><p>“You’re a different man from who you used to be.” Joe told him.</p><p>“You have another chance to be a great father.” Nicky added.</p><p>“And you’re not going to do it alone.” Andy finished, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her thighs and look Booker in the eye. “They’re going to be our boys too.”</p><p>“We finally get to be uncles!” Joe celebrated, and Booker finally laughed, the last of the tension bleeding out of his shoulders as a debate over who gets called what started. If a tear or two leaked out in his happiness or relief, none of the others were going to mention it.</p><p>---</p><p>“Joe! What was the color for the second bedroom?” Nicky yelled down the hallway of Booker’s house, the handles of the two paint cans digging into his palms.</p><p>“We’re doing azure stripes on the wall across from the double window!” Joe yelled from the first floor where he was busy helping Booker clean and reorganize the kitchen.</p><p>“What’d he say?” Nile poked her head out of the second bedroom, a smudge of white paint on her arm. Her hair was tied up in a lovely green scarf that matched the worn t-shirt she was wearing to help paint.</p><p>“Azure in the second bedroom.” he told her, and she took one of the buckets from him and craned her head to read the label.</p><p>“So chartreuse green is the first?”</p><p>“A terrible color but Fabien said he liked it, so yes.”</p><p>Nile laughed at him.</p><p>“I don’t think insulting the eight year-old’s color choices is the best way to start as an uncle.”</p><p>“If he were here he would not hear a peep,” he told her as they went into the first bedroom, “but he is not so I refuse to feel badly.”</p><p>He levered open the paint can while Nile giggled and when she saw the color it quickly escalated into loud cackling.</p><p>“There is no way we are painting a whole wall that color.” Nile panted once she finally caught her breath, Nicky smiling up at her from where he was kneeling on the covered carpet. “It’d be so bright he’d never go to sleep!”</p><p>Nicky chuckled at that and scratched his head.</p><p>“Perhaps we could paint dinosaurs? Or maybe some bugs?”</p><p>“Let’s start with a t-rex and see where we can go from there.” Nile agreed, kneeling down to help him pour.</p><p>---</p><p>“If one of them likes soccer I am calling dibs on being team coach.” Joe told him seriously as he scrubbed out the microwave. “I will have those little kids winning cups before you can say Diedier Deschamps.”</p><p>“You’ll have to fight Andy for that honor.” Booker chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked over the grocery list. “Do you think they’ll have strong feeling about carrots or celery?”</p><p>Joe hmmed thoughtfully, giving the question proper consideration.</p><p>“When I was their age I hated tomatoes.”</p><p>“Thank you Joe, that is very helpful.”</p><p>Joe gave him a blinding grin and went back to cleaning out the microwave, picking up their earlier thread of conversation with ease, Booker humming along at the proper parts.</p><p>“Andy can coach if they’re interested in rugby, she’s too blunt to be a soccer coach.” he said decisively. “Pretty sure she played in college anyways, Nile can do track, I don’t know where I’m pulling that from. I just feel like she has that build.”</p><p>“And Nicky?”</p><p>Joe paused, thinking, then grinned wolfishly when the idea hit.</p><p>“Someone has to teach them how to drive.”</p><p>Booker hmmed until he realized what Joe had actually said and Joe was still laughing at the expression on Booker’s face when Andy walked in. Andy raised her eyebrows but didn't bother to ask what the joke was.</p><p>“New beds and frames are in the bed of my truck when we’re done painting upstairs.”</p><p>Joe was still smiling as he tossed the clorox wipe he had been using in the trash.</p><p>“I’ll go check on their progress.”</p><p>“Thanks for picking those up Boss.” Booker told her softly as Joe jogged up the stairs, skipping some.</p><p>“Of course Book. How’re things going here?”</p><p>Booker paused and cocked his head. Upstairs they could hear Joe’s muffled exclamations and Nile’s cackling laughter echoing down the stairwells.</p><p>“That’s either very bad news or very good news.” Booker said wryly and gestured to the pad of paper in front of him. “I’m pretty much done with the grocery list and Joe did a great job in the kitchen.”</p><p>Andy glanced down at the paper.</p><p>“That’s a long list.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Booker huffed, “I’m not sure what they like so I figure that I’ll get a bit of everything at first.”</p><p>“Makes sense.” Andy took a sip of her water before broaching the next subject. “Are you going to be okay financially? Kids are a big expense.”</p><p>Booker tapped the pen on the pad of paper, his face rueful.</p><p>“Yeah I remember that part. I’ll be okay I think, as long as those three-” he used the pen to gesture upstairs “-keep winning races we’ll be comfortable.</p><p>Andy was still watching him carefully.</p><p>“You’re okay with still racing? It’s not just you anymore.”</p><p>“Don’t get me wrong- I don’t love the idea. But, it’s income we need and the boys are going to be around you guys anyways. It seems foolish to pull out when the others are still competing. Besides, who’s going to find you the good races?”</p><p>Andy put a hand on his forearm, forcing him to look her in the eyes.</p><p>“Anytime you want out Book, you just let us know and you’re out. No questions, no bad feelings, nothing.”</p><p>Booker nodded and cleared his throat.</p><p>“Thanks Boss.”</p><p>“Booker! Does Fabien like dinosaurs?” Nile poked her head around the corner from halfway up the stairs, green and white paint on her face.</p><p>“Did you get in a fight with the paint?” Andy asked sarcastically. Nile made a face.</p><p>“More like Nicky and Joe with paint brushes. We tried to paint a t-rex and it didn’t go well so Joe is fixing it now but it is pretty big.</p><p>“I thought we were painting one of the walls green?” Booker asked.</p><p>“We thought the green was too bright for the whole wall, it’d look like a Wimbledon court.”</p><p>“I’m sure dinosaurs are fine Nile.” Booker sighed. “We can always paint over it if he doesn’t like it.”</p><p>“Great, Nicky is taping off the stripes for Luc’s room if you’re done down here.”</p><p>“We’ll be right up.” Andy promised, and Nile flashed them a blinding smile before disappearing back up the stairs, already yelling something to Joe.</p><p>“Yeah,” Booker groaned as he stood up, “I think we’re going to be just fine.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stop Your Engines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Joe and Nicky compete in their last race for the immediate future, not entirely sure when they'll return. Andy receives a warning from a close friend.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Don't think I forgot that this was a racing AU! It definitely still is! </p><p>Unedited, as always, so all mistakes are my own. </p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Joe, get on the inside corner if you want a chance to break out of the group on this next turn.”</p><p>“I’m trying Andy, there’s a Spyder in my way.”</p><p>“Sounds like a personal problem.”</p><p>Joe growled in frustration and tried to psych Nicky out by moving to the outside, but the white Spyder didn’t budge from the inside. Then the curve was on them, the four cars clustered behind him and Nicky breaking harder than either of them did to make it work. Joe accelerated off of the turn faster than he knew was safe, but it paid off when he had the better position on the very next turn, which he also took at higher speeds than would normally be advisable. He knew Nicky would be upset with him after the race but the other man had gotten the better of him the last three times they’d competed and Joe was determined that this wouldn’t be the fourth.</p><p>Joe coaxed his one of a kind, barely street legal, custom made Camaro to even higher speeds before doing into the final set of turns, the trickiest in this race. Nicky’s Spyder would be able to kick faster than the Camaro on the straightaway before the finish line, so it was imperative that he get enough space between them now.</p><p>Gradually, Nicky’s headlights became smaller, sometimes disappearing entirely as Joe powered around the turns in the industrial part of town, the dark roads deserted but for him and the other racers. The streetlights were old and tinted yellow, making the scene look like one of the many racing movies that Nicky had been a stunt driver for. He was out of that business now after a bad crash during a huge race a little under a year ago, but he could never go long without being behind the wheel of a racing car for long. Neither could Joe for that matter.</p><p>Once Nicky started racing again there was little to stop the couple from dominating the underground racing circuits. They only raced in the higher end community, where cops were paid off and lookouts kept them briefed on any non payroll officers around. Not only a guarantee of better security, the high end circuits had the biggest pots in the region, some reaching into the millions if they were hyped up enough. The Grand Prix took the cake for payout every year and Joe and Nile were the champs going back the past four years. This did a good job of putting their names out in the racing community and increasing the bets on their races. Nicky, despite being newer to their circuits, had built up a following of high rolling gamblers as well.</p><p>Joe swept out onto the final straightaway, front tires locked and squealing while his back tires spun wildly for traction. His back end over whipped slightly and caused him to overcompensate in the steering, costing him precious speed. He forced the gas pedal to the floor, his eyes on the rearview where Nicky was swinging into view in a much more controlled turn than Joe’s had been. The Spyder’s headlights began to grow almost immediately and Joe desperately coaxed more speed out of his engine.</p><p>The two of them roared across the finish line as if they were racing Le Monde and not a city course with a medium bag at stake, Joe half a car length in front of Nicky. An embarrassing twenty seconds later the other cars began to cross as well, Joe and Nicky already slowed and pulled into the parking lot where Andy and Nile were waiting. True to Joe’s prediction, Nicky was out of his car immediately, his furious eyes cold and burning into Joe even through the window.</p><p>Joe winced and pulled off his helmet, the euphoria of winning at last withering in his chest. Slowly, he crawled out of the car window to a string of italian so fast he was having a difficult time following. Nicky’s hand gestures filled in any gaps he may have missed. Over his irritable partner’s shoulder he could see Nile and Andy, wisely watching from a distance.</p><p>“Nicoló,” the other man stopped talking immediately and Joe cupped his face, “I am sorry, it was stupid but if I had to watch your tail lights cross the line one more time I was going to do something even more irresponsible.”</p><p>Nicky did not look impressed with him, but it always took time for Nicky to stop being angry at anyone, even Joe.</p><p>“I know the cost of being irresponsible on a turn,” Nicky told him, “I do not ever want you to know it too.”</p><p>Joe hung his head, not needing the reminder of those painful days in the hospital and months of physical therapy following Nicky’s crash. He felt lips brush the crown of his head gently and Nicky’s hands rubbing up and down his back.</p><p>“You did race beautifully. Congratulations Joe.”</p><p>“Thank you habibi, so did you.”</p><p>They kissed softly, a warm, familiar thing. Nonetheless Joe could feel the thrill of Nicky’s soft mouth on his deep in his chest, a feeling that spread through the rest of him as they embraced. When they broke apart, still pressing their foreheads together, Joe couldn’t help the goofy grin that spread across his lips as the adrenaline of winning a race and kissing Nicky soared through his system.</p><p>Bringing home prize money was nice, but Nicky giving him a victory kiss was more than enough of a reward for Joe. He could hear Booker’s french mutterings and Nile’s eye roll at the thought.</p><p>“Congrats Joe! It was a great race.” Nile and Andy had approached them now that their little spat was sorted for the moment, and Nile was smiling brightly despite the early hour. She may not be an undergraduate, but she always coped much better with the odd schedule of racing than the rest of them did. Most races were in the terrible hours between late and early on weekdays, long after partying folks had gone home and long before working professionals had to leave.</p><p>“A couple of people moved their bets to Rodrigo after seeing his new ride. We’ll have to check with Booker but it should even us out to where we usually are.” Andy told them.</p><p>“Tired of having the best racers Boss?” Joe joked.</p><p>“Riskier bets have bigger payouts, maybe if you guys would lose every now and then it’d make us more of a wild card.”</p><p>“Maybe we could get sponsorship, that’s how people do it above the board.” Nile siad, only halfway joking.</p><p>“You want to get sponsored by the cartel be my guest.” Andy told her and Nile made a face.</p><p>“It could’ve been a sweep if you had competed.” Nicky told Nile.</p><p>“No sweeps until the Prix.” Andy reminded them, “It’s even worse for the betting if all three of you race.”</p><p>“Not our fault they can’t keep up.” Nile muttered, then raised her hands defensively at Andy’s look.</p><p>“No sweeps.” She repeated.</p><p>“Yes Boss.” They chorused, Joe wrapping his other arm around Nile’s shoulder. Andy stepped back to snap a picture of them leaning against Joe’s Camaro, deleting it from her phone once she had added it to their secure dropbox. Booker was serious about their races, but even more so about maintaining strict security around them. If any one of them got in trouble with the law for their racing, it certainly wouldn’t be because the cops found an incriminating picture on their phone or suspicious bank deposit.</p><p>While occasionally acting as a coach and lookout for the three racers of the group, Booker’s primary role was to maintain the professional front of the shop and act as their racing agent on the underground side. He set up the bets, hedged their own, found them the safest races with the best competition, and laundered their hard won money through the garage so that it ended up in their bank accounts as a clean deposit from the shop. If someone really felt like looking into their books, they would find two exceedingly well paid mechanics, a receptionist who received copious bonuses, a shop manager who required frequent compensation for travel to auto shows, and an owner who received all of the above.</p><p>If Andy had recently increased his percentage after consulting with the others then she wasn’t going to say anything, though Booker had teared up slightly in the office when he noticed.</p><p>“Right,” she pocketed her phone and the others grew more serious at her business-like tone, “Booker and I are going to pick up Fabien and Luc from the airport tomorrow at noon. They will have a social worker with them who will accompany us home.”</p><p>“Where we will be ready with lunch.” Joe interjected, excited at the idea of introducing the boys to his home cooking.</p><p>“But ready to leave immediately if the boys seem too overwhelmed.” Nicky added, and Joe nodded seriously. They smiled warmly at each other for a moment, hearts clear in their eyes.</p><p>“I’m in class until four, but if I need to pick anything up before my shift at five just let me know.” Nile told them. She had been sad to realize that she wouldn’t be available to welcome Luc and Fabien to their new home, but realized that it was probably for the better that they not accost them all at once.</p><p>“Good. I know I don’t have to say this but we’ll need to give them space these first few weeks.” Andy continued.</p><p>“They just lost their mother,” Nicky agreed, “I cannot imagine how much their world has changed.”</p><p>“We’ll play off Booker.” Joe assured her, “He’s more of a father than he remembers.”</p><p>“I bet he’ll fall right back into it.” Nile jokes. The others smile at her.</p><p>“It's a terrible situation, but maybe this will be good for him. He’s missed them for a long time.” Joe commented and Nile nodded but no one replied, they’d all seen the whole in their friend’s happiness. Andy finally broke the silence.</p><p>“Let’s get the cars loaded up, I already let Izod know this will be our last race for the next few weeks.”</p><p>“Oh they’re here?” Joe asked. Izod was a longtime racing friend of his who had made the transition to circuit runner. It made more money and was safer from physical injury, but required a very specific type of person to constantly be scouting new routes and staying under the police’s radar.</p><p>“They were,” Nile said, “left when it was clear that either you or Nicky were going to win.”</p><p>“Said they liked it better when you two were avoiding each other so some other people could win every now and again.” Andy told them wryly.</p><p>Nicky went over to his Spyder, the rest of the parking lot largely clear by now. They had a covered two car trailer they used mostly for races, but they used at least monthly to transport cars to and fro from customers who could pay enough. Nile opened the back of it now and waited for Nicky to line himself up.</p><p>Joe cleared his throat and knocked on the top of his Camaro, watching Nicky carefully enter the trailer.</p><p>“Should only one of us compete in a race?” He asked Andy, looking over to her to study her face intently. “Izod is right, we’re out racing everyone. It’s been what? Eight months since someone else won? Nile is only getting better, soon she’ll be placing every time too, if not winning.”</p><p>Andy hadn’t looked over at him while he was speaking, choosing instead watching Nile’s hands come closer and closer together until they touched and Nicky parked. Only once he was out of the trailer did she look over to him.</p><p>“Relax Joe, words gotten around now. There’ll be new competition soon.”</p><p>Joe still looked worried but he nodded and slid back into the Camaro, the car loud in the now empty parking lot.</p><p>-  An hour earlier -</p><p>“All of you are taking a month off?” Izod hissed, their voice pitched low enough that Andy was sure none of the race onlookers around them would hear. She kept her face impassive, though she was slightly surprised at Izod’s emotion.</p><p>“Yes. Some things are changing in our lives and we need time to make the adjustment.”</p><p>“And in the meantime you’re cutting out a quarter of my income.” Izod muttered, but Andy could tell that their initial anger was already fading. “Will you at least tell me why it is that the dream team is stepping back?”</p><p>Andy shook her head.</p><p>“Not my update to give.”</p><p>Izod pursed their lips and muttered something that Andy couldn’t pick up but otherwise didn’t push. The sound of the racers revving at the start line were getting louder, a signal that Izod really should head over and start the race.</p><p>“The Prix is in three months, you’re sure this is the best time for a vacation?” Izod searched Andy’s face and found their answer. “I hope you know what you’re doing, there have been a lot of people with less than charitable feelings towards you and your racers that have been biting at the bit to show y’all up.”</p><p>“They’ll have to live without the chance for a little while.” Andy said wryly.</p><p>“Be careful Andy, I’m serious, you guys have ruffled some serious feathers. I’ll tell me and mine to lay off you but there’s no telling what the others might do when they find out.”</p><p>Andy patted their arm reassuringly, both of them starting towards the beginning line.</p><p>“Don’t worry Izod, we can take care of ourselves.”</p><p>“Oh I’m sure of that, why do you think I’m keeping my people away from you?” Izod joked, and Andy gave them a wolfish grin as the sound of waiting engines and smell of exhaust grew around them.</p><p>“You always were smarter than the others.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Coming Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys' homecoming.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enjoy!! Your comments are appreciated:)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The annoying guy three seats down from Nile was glaring at her again so she pressed down on her knee to stop it from knocking against the desk top. She shot him an apologetic smile and crossed her ankles tightly to keep herself still. This lecture had been exceedingly dull, even by her standards, which was unfortunate because the clock on the wall told her that Fabien and Luc should have been picked up by Andy and Booker minutes ago. </p><p>Valiantly, Nile tried to pay attention to what her professor was writing on the board, but it was something about art restoration they had been taught in undergrad and she only lasted ten minutes before her attention slipped again. She snuck her phone out of her back pocket for the fifth time in the past ten minutes and checked the screen. </p><p>
  <strong>[2 unread messages]</strong>
</p><p>Nile unlocked it quickly, ignoring the lecture completely now. Hopefully nothing she would find useful for her capstone. </p><p>
  <strong>12:12pm Joe: Boss??</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>12:14pm Andy: Got ‘em (image attachment)</strong>
</p><p>The photo was of Booker on one knee in the airport baggage claim, two small boys crushed to his chest and his head buried in their shoulders. The taller boy had dark hair and she couldn’t see his face, but the shorter one was a splitting image of Booker. Nile held down the photo and the live version showed Booker picking them up slightly, his large frame dwarfing theirs. Nile held back a sniffle. </p><p>  <strong>12:15pm: Joe and Nicky hearted and attachment</strong></p><p>
  <strong>  12:15pm Joe: See you soon Boss!!</strong>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <strong>  12:15pm Nicky: Ask them if they prefer carrots or bell peppers.</strong>
</p><p>Nile chuckled and wiped her eyes, checking around her to make sure no one had thought she’d completely lost it. The person adjacent to her was scrolling through twitter without any subtlety and even the annoying guy a few seats down was beginning to nod off. She turned back to her phone.</p><p>
  <strong>  12:16pm Nile: Yay!! Can’t wait to meet them:’) </strong>
</p><p>Satisfied, she saved the photo and put her phone away to catch up on her notes. She might already know the content of the lecture, but it never hurt to be thorough. </p><p>---</p><p><br/>“Joe, Joe, they never replied about the carrots or bell peppers.” Nicky sounded aggravated as he checked his phone again. The airport was a thirty minute drive from the house which meant that the others would be here any minute. </p><p>“I’m just going to put both on their plates so they can choose.” Joe called over his shoulder, arranging the said veggies next to the half turkey sandwiches. They had hearty veggie stew cooking on the stove but he didn’t want it to get cold if he plated it now. Nicky’s arms wrapped around his torso and Joe could feel his hair tickling his ear as the other man settled his head on his shoulder. </p><p>“You are a very smart man.” Nicky told him, and Joe could feel his chest rumbling through his back. Joe grinned and turned around in Nicky’s arms, wrapping his own around Nicky’s broad shoulders. </p><p>“I’ve taken care of a kid or two in my time. The trick is to give them two options to choose from-” he held up a slice of bell pepper in one hand and carrot in the other “-carrot, or bell pepper?” </p><p>Nicky looked thoughtfully between the two and settled on snapping the bell pepper out of Joe’s hand. Joe laughed and Nicky kissed his neck, only to be startled out of their bubble by the front door opening. They looked at each other with wide eyes and Joe popped the extra carrot in his mouth, causing Nicky’s eyes to warm and the corners of his lips to curl. From Nicky, that was practically laughing out loud. Joe gave him a quick, close mouthed kiss before heading to the foyer, crunching loudly as he went. Nicky followed more sedately. </p><p>“Booker! Andy! You made it!” Joe enthused, “And who are these two?” </p><p>Joe put his hands on his hips, acting as if he and Nicky had not been wearing a hole in the rug pacing all morning. Fabien and Luc had stopped in the foyer as Booker and Andy shed their shoes, looking at Joe with wide eyes. Luc’s gaze flickered over Joe’s shoulder, where he felt Nicky come up behind him. </p><p>“Boys,” Booker said, “these are your Uncles Joe and Nicky. They’re together like me and your mom were. Joe and Nicky, this is Fabien and Luc.” </p><p>Luc stuck out his hand with a polite “nice to meet you,” but Fabien seemed less enamored by the strangers, holding on to his brother's shirt subtly with one hand. Luc elbowed him but Joe crouched down. </p><p>“No worries Luc, we all deal with new things differently,” He turned to Fabien. “How about a high five, yeah?” </p><p>He held out his hand and the shy boy did the same, lightly tapping them together. </p><p>“Oh come on, I know you can do better than that!” Joe encouraged him, and the little boy giggled, slapping Joe’s hand harder. Joe pretended to fall over with the blow, putting his soccer dramatics to use. Nicky chuckled at Fabien’s expression and extended a hand to the boy for a high five. </p><p>“Good job Fabien, not many people can knock him over.” Fabien brightened with the praise and Joe stood back up and dusted himself off. </p><p>“I’m sorry, we’re being rude.” Nicky said, gesturing for everyone to come in, “I am Nicky.” He extended his hand to the woman watching everything quietly in the background, who he assumed was the social worker assigned to Luc and Fabien. </p><p>“Marie.” She greeted him and Joe softly. In her mid-40’s, she had all the maternal charm of a nanny out of a movie. “How are you related to Booker?” She asked as the two men escorted her into the living room, where Andy was showing the boys where the board games were. </p><p>“Oh we’re not.” Joe rushed to explain, “Just longtime friends. We’d do anything for him.” He gave her a large smile but only received a small one in return. </p><p>“And you two have been a couple for how long?” She asked in the same soft tone. Joe and Nicky didn’t even need to make eye contact to agree that the small woman was more than she advertised. </p><p>“Just under a year.” Nicky replied, his tone amenable to anyone who didn’t know him, but a warning to those who did. Joe hoped Marie didn’t have any comments on their relationship.</p><p>“Wonderful.” She gave them another small smile and began to look around the living room, Joe and Nicky clearly dismissed. They traded a look and small shrug, Nicky performing a complicated hand gesture that translated to “blow her off”. </p><p>“So boys,” Booker came back into the living room from the kitchen, crossing through the dining room inbetween to do so, “how about we take a look at your rooms?” </p><p>The two boys looked at each other in excitement and where Joe would have expected yelling and they nodded enthusiastically instead. </p><p>“We’ll get their bags.” Nicky offered, and Booker shot him a grateful smile as the boys ran upstairs, Booker and Marie following at a slower pace. </p><p>“Dinosaurs!” They heard Fabien yell excitedly, the first time they’d heard him raise his voice, as they walked out to Andy’s truck. </p><p>“They seem sweet.” Nicky commented, and Joe hmmed in agreement. </p><p>“Quiet.” He added.</p><p>“They wouldn’t let go of Book in the airport,” Andy told them as she pulled down the tailgate, “and they fell asleep in the truck on the way over. I think it’s just a lot for them right now.” </p><p>“I’m sure.” Nicky agreed.</p><p>“We’ll head back to the shop after lunch and give them the afternoon.” Joe said as they grabbed the boy’s bags. It was a concerningly small amount for two young boys, only three suitcases in all. </p><p>“I’ll join you, we’ll leave them to settle in.” Andy lifted the last bag easily and kicked the tailgate closed.</p><p>“What’s your take on Marie?” Joe asked as they made their way back to the house. </p><p>“Observant and hard to read.” Andy told him grimly and Joe looked back at Nicky, who’s face looked concerned. </p><p>“She will have nothing to worry about.” He said decisively as they climbed the stairs. </p><p>“Alright!” Joe kicked up his energy level again. “Who’s bag goes where?” </p><p>Once the bags had been settled in the correct rooms, the third currently in Luc’s as it contained books and toys that both the boys used, everyone trooped down to the dining room for lunch. </p><p>“Thank you again for making this guys.” Booker sounded tired but happy as he helped serve the soup. </p><p>“Of course Booker.” Nicky responded, and Joe clapped him on the back warmly. </p><p>Lunch was a fairly quiet affair, both of the boys worn out from their travel and none of the adults wanting to push them. Marie spent the time asking the adults polite but probing questions about their work, schedules, and commitments to helping Booker with the boys. It seemed that Booker had already met with her yesterday and undergone a thorough questioning. </p><p>“And this garage is your only source of income?” She asked Andy, ever polite. </p><p>“Yes. I consult for films sometimes but business is booming so I haven’t as much lately.” </p><p>Marie just hmmed and took a last bite of her soup before rising. </p><p>“Well it has been a pleasure to meet all of you. Boys, you have my phone number and you can call whenever you need, no matter the time. Mr. Le Livre, as you know, I will be doing surprise house visits weekly for the next month, and I will email you tomorrow to see how the boys are settling in.” </p><p>Booker stood to lead her to the door and the whole room relaxed visibly when he came back. </p><p>“Well that was a nice interrogation.” Andy commented into her soup.</p><p>“She wants what’s best for the boys,” Booker defended, turning to the boys in question, “how are you two feeling? It’s okay if you want to take a nap.” </p><p>Fabien brightened at the mention of a nap and Luc did a bad job of hiding his yawn. Both the boys had polished off their entire plates but refused seconds, delighted at the homemade cookies Nile had baked the day before. </p><p>“Alright well we should be heading out anyways Book.” Andy told him, standing to collect the plates, which Joe and Nicky jumped to help with. </p><p>“Why don’t you two change into some sleep clothes okay? I’ll be upstairs in a minute.” Booker smiled softly at his sons, his whole face different with them back under his roof. </p><p>In the kitchen, they put the dishes in the dishwasher and started it, the soup pot already clean and leftovers in the fridge. Booker walked them to the foyer. </p><p>“Thank you guys, again, it means a lot.” He told them as they put their shoes back on. </p><p>“Of course Booker.” Joe smiled at him.</p><p>“This is what family is.” Nicky reminded him and the taller man chuckled and nodded.</p><p>“I’ll do better at remembering.” He promised. </p><p>“Let us know if you need anything, if not we’ll give you guys some space until you say the word.” Andy told him, grabbing her keys off the hooks by the door. She gave him a quick hug, cupping the back of his head and squeezing him tight for a moment.</p><p>“Fatherhood looks good on you Book.” She told him sincerely, then turned to go. Nicky and Joe gave him quick hugs as well and followed. Booker stayed in the doorway until they had backed out of the driveway and left up the street. </p><p>---</p><p>Booker closed the door softly and rested his head against the wood for a moment, taking deep breaths. He had wanted his sons home for so long, a longing that had grown exponentially after Jean-Pierre died, but having them home in these circumstances was an odd mix of his worst fear and greatest dream. His emotions were all over the place, grief over the glaring absence of Jean-Pierre, anger at Anastasie for keeping them from him for so long, and sheer unadulterated joy at them being back. He let it all wash over him for a moment before wrangling them back, binding them tight under his breastbone. </p><p>“Papa?” Fabien’s young voice sounded uncertain but clear as a bell. Booker turned with a smile to see his younger- no, his youngest son, at the top of the stairs. “Can you tuck me in?” </p><p>“Oui. Of course Fabien.” Booker jogged up the stairs quickly and scooped the young boy up, causing him to erupt into giggles. On the landing he could see that Luc was standing in the doorway to his room in small sweatpants and a t-shirt. Booker’s heart throbbed painfully as Anastasie’s eyes looked back at him. </p><p>“Do you want to be tucked in too?” He asked Luc, who nodded. It seemed that the brothers had traded their levels of extroversion. It was to be expected really, Booker thought as he carried Fabien into his room. Marie had mentioned that it would take them time to level out in their new home, much less to open up emotionally about the trauma they had endured. One step at a time and, first, a nap. </p><p>The wall Fabien’s bed was against was covered in different dinosaurs, all a brilliant green and clearly Joe’s work. Booker helped Fabien nestle into the clean white sheets and darker green comforter, brushing his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes and giving him a firm kiss on the forehead. </p><p>“I will come and get you in an hour, okay?” Fabien nodded and yawned hugely, his eyes already slipping closed. Booker suppressed a groan as he stood, Fabien’s bed was much closer to the ground than he’d remembered the kid's beds being. Luc was waiting silently in the doorway and moved out into the hallway as Booker closed Fabien’s door softly. </p><p>“How are you doing Luc?” He asked softly. </p><p>“I’m good.” Luc responded. “It feels weird being back after so long.” </p><p>“I can imagine,” Booker chuckled as they entered Luc’s slightly larger room, “Do you like how we did your room?” Booker asked, gesturing to the two walls of wide blue on white stripes complete with a wooden desk, bookshelves, and bed with a plush grey comforter. Booker noticed that he had already filled half of the bookshelf with the books from his bag.</p><p>“I like it a lot.” Luc smiled. “There’s a lot more room than in the apartment.” </p><p>Booker assumed that was where they had been living with their mother. Luc got under the sheets and Booker sat at the foot of the bed. </p><p>“We can get you more books tomorrow if you want, fill up that bookshelf.” Booker patted his foot under the covers. </p><p>“Cool.” Luc looked down at his hands. “Are we staying here for good? Since mom’s gone?” </p><p>Booker’s heart broke a little bit more than it already had.</p><p>“If you want.” He told him honestly, “I want you too. Your mom, she- we didn’t really talk before you left and I missed you very much. I’m very happy you and Fabien are here.” </p><p>“She didn’t want you to see us.” Luc told him.</p><p>“Did she say that?” Booker asked. Luc shook his head.</p><p>“Not to me. I heard her arguing with the lawyer, after Jean-Pierre’s funeral. The lawyer said she didn’t have the grounds to do that but she said you’d sign whatever she sent.”</p><p>Booker could feel his throat closing up, the memories of that terrible time after the crash that killed Jean-Pierre still fresh in his mind and heart. He cleared his throat and focused on the present.</p><p>“I’m sorry you had to hear that Luc. And- and I’m sorry that I did sign it. I wasn’t where I am now, and I let you down. I shouldn’t have given up without a fight.” He covered his son's hands with his own and waited for him to meet his eyes. “I promise you Luc, as long as you want to stay here this is your home. Even if you don’t want to stay here this is your home. I have always been and will always be your father, and you have a place with me or Aunt Andy, or Uncle Nicky and Uncle Joe, or even with Auntie Nile if you want.”</p><p>“Auntie Nile?” Luc asked tentatively and Booker huffed out a laugh and wiped at his eyes.</p><p>“You’ll meet her soon, I promise.” </p><p>“Okay, I think I’ll stay here if that’s still okay.” </p><p>“Of course it’s okay Luc, you can be here as long as you’d like.” </p><p>Booker wrapped Luc in a hug for a long moment and kissed his forehead, basking in the feeling of having his son in his arms again. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Sunday Funday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nile gets invited to go to the park with Booker, Luc, and Fabien. Fun antics ensue, but both Nile and Booker struggle with the realization that their relationship might be deeper than it first appeared.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bit of a fluffy chapter that was a joy to write, thanks so much to everyone that's finding the story and commenting! Y'all make my heart glow. </p><p>(sidenote- as a U.S. southerner it is so hard not to use y'all through the entirety of this story) </p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been three days since Booker and Andy had picked Fabien and Luc up from the airport and Nile <em>still</em> hadn’t met them. She was considering skipping her next class solely on principle, it was the reason she wasn’t there to greet the boys in the first place, but she could hear her mother’s disapproving tone at the idea. Okay so she wouldn’t skip class, but she reserved the right to be frustrated and feel more than a little left out. </p><p>The three days of not meeting the boys in person didn’t mean that she wasn’t getting consistent updates from Booker. She had texted him in the late afternoon on the first day after she’d gotten out from class and Booker had said that the boys were a little overwhelmed and needed some space. Nile understood completely, but Booker had continued to text her little updates and countless photos over the next couple of days. It was driving her up the wall and causing her to melt every thirty minutes on repeat. </p><p>Some of the updates went to their group message, like what school Booker was enrolling them in and that Fabien was decidedly not a fan of broccoli, but others Booker only sent to Nile and she hoarded them with jealousy. Joe, Nicky, and Andy may have met the two angels, but only Nile knew that Fabien was opening up much faster than Luc or that Luc loved Orson Scott Card and read several grade levels above his age. Booker would include the occasional photo and Nile was already building quite a collection on her phone. Her favorite, which she may have made her phone background, was of Booker, Luc, and Fabien proudly holding up her homemade chocolate peanut butter cookies in their pjs. It had come from Booker with the caption ‘I think I might be spoiling them, these are the last three.’ just last night. </p><p>She admonished him for giving the boys so much sugar, of course, but her heart had been glowing ever since. Her head was brought down from the clouds by Jay yelling down their short hallway that the hot water had run out again. She stormed into the living room/kitchen/breakfast table room and looked around. Nile was still eating her cereal at the kitchen bar, standing because they didn’t have stools, and was the only one still in the apartment. </p><p>“Did you use it all?” Jay snapped, and Nile shook her head. </p><p>“I showered last night and it wasn’t wash day.” Nile told her and Jay looked suspicious for a moment before she sighed and put her hands on her hips. </p><p>“Where are Dizzy and Victoria?” </p><p>“Gone off already, I don’t know.” </p><p>Jay rolled her eyes and started to walk back to the bathroom. </p><p>“Nile I swear on God I’m moving out.” </p><p>Nile hmmed in understanding but didn’t say anything, Jay made those threats pretty much weekly at this point. Their living situation was by no means optimal, four grown women in a two bedroom apartment was pushing it even if they didn’t have the added stress of graduate programs, but finding housing in this city was hard. If you weren’t ready to buy a house, the options were few and far in between. Nile’s phone buzzed on the counter and she flipped it open to see another text from Booker. </p><p><strong>10:30am Book:</strong> I was thinking of taking the boys on a picnic in the big park off Broadway if you’d want to join. </p><p><br/><strong>10:30am Nile:</strong> I’d love to! What time? <br/><strong>10:30am Nile:</strong> Should I bring anything? </p><p><br/><strong>10:32am Book:</strong> Noon- DO NOT bring more cookies, I think you’ve spoiled them beyond hope. <br/><strong>10:32am Book:</strong> Actually if you have a picnic blanket… </p><p><br/><strong>10:33am Nile:</strong> U planned a picnic w/o a blanket?? </p><p><br/><strong>10:36am Book:</strong> I get a headache when you type like that<br/><strong>10:36am Book:</strong> I didn’t think that far yet, I was still on food</p><p><br/><strong>10:38am Nile:</strong> whtevr old man- see you at 12!</p><p><br/><strong>10:39am Book:</strong> (Image Attachment) </p><p>Nile clicked on the photo, her cereal completely forgotten and now very soggy. It was a photo of Booker’s leg, Fabien wrapped around his calf and sitting comfortably on his foot. His big blue eyes, so much like his father’s, were looking up at the camera with a big grin. His chin was resting on Booker’s impressive quad and Nile took a moment to wonder if she had ever seen Booker wear shorts. </p><p>With thighs like that he should wear them more, she thought idly, then abruptly realized what she had just thought and yanked herself away from that line of thinking. You are not about to crush on your longtime friend and newly single father, she told herself sternly. That is not an option.</p><p>But still, Book had some pretty nice thighs… Nile saved the photo in the album titled ‘Seb’s Boys’ with the rest he had sent her and focused on her cereal. When the pieces disintegrated in her spoon she gave up on the meal and went in search of a suitable picnic blanket. </p><p>---</p><p>Nile arrived at the park at noon on the dot, parking her Victory Gunner motorcycle close to the park entrance. It had been her first big purchase after winning her first Prix, the one that Nicky had tumbled over the side of a curve and into a hospital. It had been a bright spot in that otherwise terrible few months. Not only did it give her another engine to tinker with, it let her start long term projects on her Camaro that she would not have been able to do when using it as her primary source of transport. At the moment it was half unassembled in her bay back at the garage so that she could update the cooling system. </p><p>It was a beautiful sunny day in south central California, not too hot and not too cold, enough of the sun's rays still around from the summer that Nile was dressed in a strappy open back tank top and jean shorts. Winter’s damp chill always came too fast for her so she was determined to enjoy the sun while it lasted. The park looked to be pretty busy, lots of people out to enjoy the Sunday weather, but she could see a few spots that would make a good picnic location as long as the boys arrived soon. Most of the good picnic tables were taken, but there were several spots in the shade of some live oaks that looked promising. </p><p>Just as she was going to take out her phone and see if Booker had texted she saw his Honda Civic pull into the parking lot. Everyone, herself included, gave Booker a lot of shit for driving such a plain car but it always came in handy when any of the crew needed to lay low. Driving flashy cars and motorcycles was fun but made it very easy for them to be noticed, which was less than ideal if one regularly participated in illegal street races. Not that they did that or anything... </p><p>She was pulled from her thoughts as Booker got out of the car and helped the boys from the backseat. Nile couldn’t see them until they came around the back of the car, but melted immediately when she did. The taller of the two, Luc, watched her with open curiosity as she walked towards them. Fabien stopped walking completely when he saw her, causing Booker to almost run him over on accident. She could practically see Booker pull the curse word back into his mouth, opting instead to push his youngest out of his way gently. </p><p>“Hi guys! My name’s Nile, it’s great to meet you two.”</p><p>“You’re Auntie Nile?” Fabien asked, and Nile felt her grin grow larger. </p><p>“Yeah, that’s me.” </p><p>Luc extended his hand for a handshake, which Nile returned. Fabien looked like he wanted to shake her hand, but the soccer ball he was carrying prevented him from doing so.</p><p>“Nice to meet you.” Luc said quietly, his light brown eyes meeting hers. </p><p>“You too.” Nile responded. </p><p>“Sorry we’re late.” Booker interjected as he opened the back of the Honda. “I forget that you have to try and leave fifteen minutes early anywhere you go when you have kids.” He told her conspiratorially and winked as he pulled out an old fashioned wicker basket. His arms flexed attractively in the sunlight, his short sleeves drawn tight around the muscle. </p><p>“You’re wearing shorts.” She said in response, fighting unsuccessfully to make it not sound accusatory. He looked surprised and glanced down at his tan shorts before back up at her. </p><p>“It’s warm out.” He said almost defensively and slightly confused as he closed the back of the car. They began to make their way to the break in the fence around the park where the boys were waiting impatiently for the adults to hurry up. </p><p>“Luc found us a good spot!” Fabien shouted to them, and they both chuckled.</p><p>“Go on ahead and we’ll follow.” Booker told them, “Stay in eyesight!” He shouted, and Luc nodded seriously while Fabien gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. </p><p>“I just, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you in shorts.” Nile told him honestly as they trailed behind the two boys. </p><p>“I don’t think I’ve worn them out since the last time I had to run after kids every ten minutes.” Booker chuckled. “Thank God I work out though, I couldn’t keep up with the two of them otherwise.” </p><p>Nile didn’t want to think too long on him working out, so she clicked her tongue at him. </p><p>“I don’t know, they seem pretty tame compared to me and my brother as kids.” </p><p>“Indy right?” </p><p>“Yeah,” Nile smiled happily, “we got up to so much trouble. I don’t know how my mom dealt with us.” </p><p>“In my experience, you don’t know how to until you’ve done it.” Booker responded, his eyes watching Fabien and Luc carefully. Nile followed his gaze and saw that they had found a spot beneath one of the live oaks, far enough from others it wouldn’t be too loud, but close enough that she could hear some of the music coming from one family having a barbecue. She had the sudden urge to call her mom and gossip like she was sixteen again. </p><p>“This the spot?” Booker asked. Luc nodded as he collected some branches off the ground but Fabien jumped with an enthusiastic ‘yes!’. Luc came up to Nile as Fabien began to bother Booker about what food was in the basket. </p><p>“Dad said you would bring a blanket?” </p><p>“Oh! Yes!” Nile slung the backpack off of her shoulder and pulled out the old queen size purple comforter she had industriously shoved into it, “You want to take one side and I’ll take the other?” </p><p>Luc nodded and helped her spread out the large comforter, which Booker recognized almost immediately. </p><p>“Is that the comforter you used to keep in the back of your car? I thought Dizzy stole it.” </p><p>“Yes and yes.” She told him with a smile. “I stole it back.” </p><p>He shrugged and kneeled on the blanket to begin unpacking the food. Fabien looked at her in confusion. </p><p>“Why did you keep a comforter in the back of your car?” </p><p>Nile sat next to Luc, who was sitting next to his brother, two sets of curious eyes studying her. Booker chuckled and met her glare with a sly smile. </p><p>“Auntie Nile works too hard ma vie.” He quipped, laying out carefully wrapped sandwiches. Nile smacked his big shoulder lightly in mock offense. </p><p>“I do not.” Booker huffed and she glared at him as she continued, “but sometimes I am working late at the garage and I decide to sleep there instead of at my apartment. I used to keep this in my car, but Joe got me a nicer one to keep in the shop for my birthday.” </p><p>“Do you not like your apartment?” Luc asked quietly. Nile thought about it for a moment. The cramped space was definitely not her favorite place to live, and lately she felt more and more unattached to her previously inseparable roommates, but it wasn’t the worst that it could be. Sure Dizzy used all the hot water and Jay snapped at everything and Victoria stole her food but it was better than university grad student housing. </p><p>“It’s not my favorite place.” She admitted at last, “but I spend so much time either at the garage or at someone else’s place I hardly notice.” </p><p>“That’s too bad.” Fabien decided. “You can stay with me in my room if you want.” </p><p>Booker made an interesting noise beside her and she wondered if he’d choked on something by accident. She smiled at Fabien. </p><p>“She doesn’t want to stay in your room.” Luc told his brother, his tone exacerbated. Nile shook her head.</p><p>“That’s very sweet of you, and it’s not that I don’t want to, but that’s your room. Maybe we can have a sleepover sometime.”</p><p>Fabien brightened at that idea and began to attack the plate of food Booker had put in front of him, crunching through baby carrots the way only an eight year old could. Booker put another plate in front of her and Nile took in the roasted chicken sandwich, potato salad, apple slices, carrots, and grapes. </p><p>“This looks great Sebastian, thank you.” Nile wasn’t sure where using his proper name came from, but shrugged it off as Fabien commanded her attention to tell her about the exciting days they had spent with their father. She didn’t notice Booker looking at her, his eyes lost and mouth slightly open. Luc did, but left his father to pull himself together as he corrected something Fabien had claimed. Booker was the last to start eating, distracted as he was by Nile’s laughter at Fabien’s theatrics. </p><p>---</p><p>It was several hours later that they left the park. Between the soccer ball, bubbles, the swing set, and even Holes, which Nile had brought and read them the first two chapters of, the boys had thoroughly exhausted themselves. Fabien had fallen asleep on the blanket while Nile was reading and Luc had done his best to look interested, but his eyes had kept sliding shut for longer and longer periods. </p><p>They were now walking back to the car, Nile with her backpack and the comforter, Luc with the soccer ball, and Booker with a sleeping Fabien in one arm and the empty food basket in the other. Luc was kicking the soccer ball half heartedly a ways in front of them, both keeping a close eye on the boy as they got closer to the parking lot. </p><p>“I had a great time this afternoon,” Nile said, “thanks for inviting me. And introducing me to them.” </p><p>She grinned to herself as she thought back to them playing soccer two on two, Luc’s enthusiasm for the sport making up for Nile having never played. Fabien’s high energy would be more helpful once he got some more skill, but Booker proved to be a surprisingly tricky opponent. Nile was extremely competitive, and the game quickly dissolved into who could cheat the most egregiously. At one point Booker had just picked up Nile and Luc as Fabien ran as fast as he could to the containers they had set up as goals. </p><p>“It was past time for you to meet them, I am sorry it took so long.” </p><p>They entered the parking lot, Luc already halfway to the car. </p><p>“No need to apologize, you all needed time.” </p><p>“Well I appreciate you being here now.”</p><p>“Of course Book, whenever you need me, you know that.” </p><p>“Still.” He gave her one of his small smiles which, for Booker, meant more than they showed. He put the basket down briefly to unlock the car, and Nile was surprised when Luc gave her a hug while Booker loaded Fabien into the back. </p><p>“I liked that book, will you read more for us?” He asked, tucking his face into her stomach. She hugged him back, touched.</p><p>“Of course I will Luc, do you want to borrow it and read it yourself?” </p><p>Luc released her and thought about it. </p><p>“No. I want Fabien to hear it too.” </p><p>“Alright, I’ll bring it with me next time okay?” </p><p>“Cool.” He gave her another of his shy smiles and waved before getting into the car. </p><p>Nile turned to Booker with raised eyebrows and a ‘did you just see that?’ expression on her face. He was smiling softly and raised his eyebrows, making an impressed face. </p><p>“I think they liked you.” He told her, his voice soft even though the boys couldn’t hear them from inside the car. </p><p>“Well I really liked them, they’re great kids Book.” Nile meant it wholeheartedly. </p><p>Booker nodded and scuffed his shoe on the concrete before looking up at her again. </p><p>“Listen, and if this is overstepping I won’t mention it again, but,” he pushed his hair back, “if you wanted to move into the above garage studio you’d be more than welcome to. We’d have to clean it out and move some boxes but if you put something towards utilities that’d be great but you don’t have to pay rent. Just,” he seemed to run out of words all the sudden, “if you’re interested.” </p><p>Nile was speechless. Currently, the above garage apartment is Booker’s gym, complete with squat rack and more weights than she could find purpose for. Giving that up was a big offer from him, much less that he was okay with having her so close to him and his boys all the time. </p><p>“Of course I would pay rent Book,” Booker opened his mouth to object, but she cut him off before he could, “a discounted rent, but I’d pay rent. Could I think about it?” </p><p>“Yeah,” he looked relieved that she wasn’t just calling him crazy and leaving, “yeah take as long as you need. It uh, it would come with some babysitting duties I’m afraid.” He smiled ruefully, “they won’t want to leave you alone.” </p><p>Nile laughed. </p><p>“I think I could deal with that. I’ll think it over.” She paused. “You’re coming to work tomorrow right?” </p><p>“Yeah, their first day of school.” He gestured behind him to the car, “So I’ll be there.” </p><p>“Cool, I’ll see you then.” </p><p>“See ya.” </p><p>Nile waved and turned to go back to her motorcycle. Booker rubbed the back of his neck as he watched her go. <em>Merde</em>- he shook his head and looked away. He only just realized he was in a hole and here he was already digging himself deeper. Joe was going to give him so much shit. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I desperately want to go on a picnic- anyone want to come?</p><p>(also Nile is only texting like that to annoy Book I promise)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Start of Something New</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nile's life gets upended, but she's got a pretty good safety net.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes I stole the title from High School Musical.</p><p>Also I properly plotted out the story and realized I needed to extend the chapter count haha.</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What if people don’t like me? They’ve been there for almost a month and I’m going to be the random new kid from D.C. they get to talk about.” </p><p>Booker put bags of pretzels in the lunchboxes and zipped them up while Luc spoke from the breakfast table in the kitchen. He had put Fabien to bed half an hour ago but allowed Luc to stay up an extra thirty minutes to finish his book. Instead, his oldest had followed him down to the kitchen and watched him make their lunches for tomorrow in silence. Booker had been content to wait, Luc always said what was on his mind eventually, but only when he decided it was time to do so. Apparently now was the time. </p><p>“Has this what’s kept you quiet since we got back?” Booker asked, leaning against the kitchen counter across from his son. Luc had been almost silent since their return from the picnic and while the boy was not as keen to chatter as his younger brother was, this level of silence had obviously had a specific cause. </p><p>Luc nodded and looked down, confirming his suspicions. </p><p>“Luc,” Booker pushed himself off the counter and crossed the room to crouch in front of him, “it’s completely normal to be nervous for your first day at a new school. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” He tilted the boy’s chin up to face him. “At the end of the day, you can only control how you react. I can tell you that it’s going to be fine, and it is, but you won’t believe me, would you?” </p><p>Looking guilty, Luc shook his head no. Booker chuckled.</p><p>“I wouldn’t either if I were in your place. But what I can tell you is that the sun is going to rise tomorrow and the day will begin. The only thing you can control is how you greet it.” </p><p>“But I’m not friendly or outgoing like Fabien. I just read books and play soccer.” Luc retorted. </p><p>“And that’s what makes you so special Luc,” Booker responded, “you’re you! There’s no one else like you and no one I'd rather you be. I bet you that tomorrow you’re going to meet someone who likes to read and someone who likes soccer, I bet they want to meet someone who likes those things too.” </p><p>“You think?” Luc asked, his eyes uncertain. </p><p>“I do. Anyone would be lucky to be your friend Luc.” </p><p>Luc blushed at that and finally smiled. Booker grinned back and tickled his sides gently, making him squirm and shout but lifting the mood considerably. Booker stepped back and ruffled his son’s dark hair fondly. </p><p>“Why don’t you go upstairs and get ready for bed while I finish down here? I’ll be up in a few minutes.” </p><p>“Okay Dad.” </p><p>Luc hugged him tightly around the waist before leaving, his steps soft on the stairs as he ascended. Booker shook his head, the grin still fading on his face. Luc and Fabien were fine boys and he felt as if he were bursting at the seams with pride every minute he was with them. Now that they were here, he wasn’t sure how he’d ever coped with their absence. Well, he knew how he coped and he wasn’t proud of it. In fact, he hadn’t gotten the urge to drink since they’d arrived, a blessing he hadn’t even realized he should be grateful for until now. </p><p>He was still marvelling at how charmed his life had become when his phone began buzzing insistently on the kitchen counter, scooting sideways with the violence of the vibrations. He frowned when he saw the contact name. </p><p>“Nile? Is everything okay?” </p><p>“Hey Book,” Nile didn’t sound like she was crying, but it was a close thing, “Sorry I’m calling so late.” </p><p>“Non, no no it’s fine, what’s going on?” </p><p>“Could I crash at your place tonight?” She said it all in a rush and cleared her throat. “Sorry I know-”</p><p>“No Nile, don't worry about it, of course you can come here. Is everything okay?” He paused. “Are you alright?” </p><p>“Yeah I’m fine,” she sounded tired, “just some roommate drama.”</p><p>“You can fill me in when you get here okay?”</p><p>“Yeah okay.” </p><p>“Drive safe.” </p><p>“See you soon Seb.” </p><p>Nile hung up before the speaker could pick up Booker’s shaky inhale.</p><p>---</p><p>It wasn’t long until Nile texted that she was at the door, for which Booker was grateful. He’d put Luc to bed with a Mozart CD playing after she’d called and checked in on Fabien to find the boy blissfully asleep. He’d have some explaining to do to them in the morning, but better that than them getting excited over having Nile in the house the night before they were to start school. </p><p>He was out of the kitchen chair in an instant and unlocked the front door as quietly as it would allow. On the other side Nile looked much the same as she had this afternoon, though she’d switched into leggings and tied her braids up with a yellow silk scarf. She didn’t have a bag with her, just her black motorcycle helmet and a rueful expression. He gestured for her to come in and she brushed past him as she did, smelling of night air and cherry blossoms. </p><p>“I made some tea in the kitchen.” He told her quietly, hanging her helmet up while she took off her shoes. “It’s hibiscus, I remembered you preferred that one.” </p><p>He winced slightly while her back was turned, hoping he didn’t come off as creepy. She gave him a grateful smile over her shoulder. </p><p>“That sounds great Book, thank you.” </p><p>She tucked her shoes into the shoe rack and walked through the house to the kitchen while Booker followed, trying not to be sad that she didn’t use his given name this time. The tall woman all but collapsed into one of the chairs with a mug in front of it, groaning dramatically but matching Booker’s hushed tone. </p><p>“Never, ever become roommates with someone who thinks jaywalking is a prosecutable offence.” </p><p>Booker chuckled deep in his chest as he settled into the chair next to hers, leaning back and crossing his legs in front of him at the ankle. </p><p>“They found out about the racing.” He put it together quickly. </p><p>“Jay knew about the racing.” Nile defended. Booker remembered that Jay was the one Nile shared a room with, it would have been difficult to hide the odd hours that racing required from her. Most races were between two and five in the morning, after parties were done and before the morning rush would begin, suspicious hours for anyone to be sneaking around during. </p><p>“Dizzy also knew about it, even if she never admitted to knowing.” Nile continued, and Booker sipped his tea as he listened, “But somehow Victoria found out.” </p><p>“Victoria’s the one who flirted with me?” He asked, clarifying. Nile clicked her tongue and took a sip of her tea. </p><p>“That would be Victoria.” </p><p>“And is it safe to assume Victoria did not appreciate living with a criminal?” Booker asked playfully. </p><p>“Oh she used stronger language but that’s about it yeah.” Nile took another sip of her tea. “And what’s worse, honestly, is that neither Jay or Dizzy said a damn thing in my defense. They both knew, and it’s Jay’s name on the lease with Victoria’s, and neither of them said anything.” </p><p>Booker watched as the fight went out of her frame. Her shoulders dropped and she stretched her neck in a circle, rubbing at the muscles. He got slightly dazed with how the light played on her skin. </p><p>“Did they kick you out?” He asked at last, coming back to himself. </p><p>“I don’t know.” Nile said honestly, her dark eyes studying one of the whorls on the wooden table. “It doesn’t seem like the type of place to stay even if they decide not to.” She admitted. </p><p>“Well the studio is still yours if you want it,” Booker assured her, “but even if you want to be somewhere else I’ll help you look for a new place.” Nile looked grateful and gave him a small smile. Her face looked thoughtful for a moment. </p><p>“Did you ask the boys if they were okay with me living here?” </p><p>Booker could feel his eyebrows shoot up and his face flush. </p><p>“I didn’t even think to.” He admitted. “I’m not used to thinking for three quite yet I think.” </p><p>Nile patted his hand comfortingly, the warmth burning his skin more than it should.</p><p>“You need time to adjust too Sebastian.” </p><p>He felt his throat click, and to his horror his eyes got slightly damp. Nile noticed and immediately backtracked.</p><p>“I’m sorry, did I step over a line? I-” </p><p>“No, no it’s just-” he cleared his throat and blinked rapidly, “I don’t think anyone has called me Sebastian since- since Anastasie.” </p><p>Nile looked surprised and then abashed and began to withdraw her hand. He could see the apology on her lips and in that moment felt he would do absolutely anything to keep from hearing her say it. He flipped his hand over and tangled their fingers and she froze, looking down at their joined hands. She looked back up at him with an unreadable expression. </p><p>“It’s nice. It’s been too long.” </p><p>His voice was rough but he got it out. Nile studied him for a few moments longer before something solidified in her gaze, as if she had made a decision. She moved to cradle his hand in both of hers, her elbows resting on the table.</p><p>“Well okay then.” </p><p>They stayed like that for a long time, their tea forgotten and cooling rapidly in its mugs. The only light came from the one above the oven, washing over half of their faces with yellowed light and highlighting the tangle of their hands on the table. </p><p>---</p><p><br/>“Habibti, are you sure you put the anti rust in here?” Joe yelled from the storage closet. Nicky didn’t bother responding- they both knew the answer to his question. </p><p>He continued to update the status of the vehicles they were currently servicing on their website as Joe muttered in Arabic, his voice muffled enough that it was just background noise for Nicky at the front desk. </p><p>“Found it!” Joe shouted triumphantly, his voice growing closer. “It was on the bottom right, not the top left.” </p><p>“Cazzo.” Nicky cursed and turned his attention to Joe, who was leaning against the doorframe of the hallway, “Someone must’ve moved it.” </p><p>“Or,” Joe suggested, “you might have forgotten where in the closet you put it.” </p><p>Nicky shook his head, certain of himself. </p><p>“No, someone moved it.” </p><p>Joe chuckled and crossed the short space between them to wrap his arms around Nicky’s wide shoulders. Sitting as he was, Nicky was forced to crane his head back to keep Joe’s gaze. He rested his head on Joe’s sternum with a quirk of his lips and Joe was just about to brush a kiss across that smile when the bell rang over the door. </p><p>“Dear Lord could you two get a room?” Nile exclaimed with an exaggerated eye roll. Joe gave Nicky a peck but didn’t let the other man go when they both looked at her. </p><p>“Did you move my anti-rust?” Nicky asked, straightforward as always. Nile shrugged.</p><p>“I don’t even know where the anti-rust is.” </p><p>“See? She doesn’t know where it is.” Joe told Nicky, his trust in Nile eternal. </p><p>“You have a new can on your workbench.” Andy butted in, having snuck into the waiting room from the garage at some point in the conversation. She was eating a nectarine nonchalantly. Nicky’s accusatory gaze swung back to Nile. Joe put a dramatic face on.</p><p>“Et tu brute? After I defended you?”</p><p>“That was your own mistake to make.” Nile pointed out, which only made Joe look even more outraged. Behind her, the doorbell rang again and Booker walked in but froze immediately, taking in the look on Nicky’s face. He turned to Nile.</p><p>“What did you do?” </p><p>Nile threw her hands up in frustration. </p><p>“Nicky, I am sorry for moving the anti-rust, I will move it back after I get my coveralls on okay?” </p><p>“Are you wearing Booker’s shirt?” Andy asked innocently, doing a bad job of hiding the mischief in her eyes. Now it was Booker’s turn to look front, pretending to look at what Nile was wearing as if he wasn’t sure. </p><p>“I stayed at his place last night.” Nile told them, her tone taking the teasing atmosphere out of the room, “I think I’m going to be kicked out of my apartment.” </p><p>The others’ reactions were instantaneous. The teasing glint in Andy’s eyes disappeared and she became dangerously still, her nonchalance gained an edge. Nicky’s face shuttered and his eyes seemed to ice over, though the stayed keyed into Nile’s expression, ready to offer support if she needed it. Joe just looked disappointed. </p><p>“They found out about the racing?” Joe asked. </p><p>“Yeah,” Nile gave him a smile, “but, Booker suggested that I move into the studio apartment he has above the garage.” </p><p>“Your gym?” Joe asked and Booker nodded. They boxed there together frequently. </p><p>“I can fit it into the garage just fine if I park the Hondo outside.” Booker reassured him. </p><p>“Nile, I am so sorry it happened in this way.” Nicky told her, the chill leaving his stare, “You are sure they mean to kick you out?” </p><p>“After some of the things they said- and didn’t say- I’m not sure I’d want to keep living there anyways.” She told him sadly. </p><p>“We’ll close up early today and go help get your things.” Andy decided, “We can have you all moved in tonight. Just like we had planned it.” She joked, and Nile chuckled. </p><p>“That would mean a lot, thanks guys.” </p><p>Just then a car pulled in front of Andy’s bay, the driver rolling down the window and parking. </p><p>“I’ll take care of it.” Nile offered quickly, “Booker has first day of school photos to show you guys anyways.” </p><p>Joe groaned. </p><p>“Wait! She’s going to get to see them so much more than we will!” </p><p>Nile cackled and stuck her tongue out at him as she stepped past Andy. </p><p>“You could always move into the spare bedroom.” Booker offered as he crossed to the counter and pulled out his phone. “It’s right by Fabien’s room so when he wakes up at five you can entertain him until I get up.” </p><p>They all laughed at the look on Joe’s face. If it weren’t for his morning prayers, he would never be up before nine if he could help it. Often, he would sneak back in bed after prayers until Nicky roused him only minutes before they were to leave. The matter settled, Andy, Joe, and Nicky leaned in to look at the pictures on Booker’s phone with eager expressions. </p><p>“So here’s the outfit Fabien chose before I came in….” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Don Quixote</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Old Garage enjoys a few weeks of peace, but peace doesn't last forever when involved in street racing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the delayed update! Should be back to the regular schedule now. </p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been just over two weeks since Luc and Fabien arrived and changed the daily operations of the Old Garage and the family that worked there. Instead of Booker opening the shop each morning, it was Nicky and Joe who unlocked the doors and flipped the sign. Andy picked up and distributed groceries for everyone once a week and in return Nicky and Nile provided her with a week's worth of homemade dinners. Nile had moved her meagre belongings into the above garage apartment at Booker’s house, much to the boy’s delight. She picked them up from school and either stayed with them in the house or ferried them to their various after school activities inbetween her classes and work at the shop. </p><p>Luc started a soccer league that had practice twice a week with games on Saturdays. Joe had successfully lobbied and became the coach for the ten year olds (they all suspected Nicky’s cooking and Joe’s doe eyes had melted the hearts of the soccer parents enough to allow someone with no previous experience to be in charge of their precious children). Luc had no less than three friends on the team, and they were planning to meet outside of practice for the first time next week. Fabien, meanwhile, had expressed an interest in mixed martial arts and was now under Andy’s watchful tudorship at the club she attended. Even in the short time that he had been practicing, he was much better and bringing his emotions under control and began breathing exercises when he got upset. </p><p>Nicky and Luc had bonded in their quiet and sometimes intense way. Nile had finished reading the boys Holes and had started One Crazy Summer, but Luc’s appetite for reading was insatiable. Nicky took him to the public library twice a week while Fabien was with Andy to read together and discuss new books. Joe and Nile teased that Nicky was molding Luc into a little old man like himself before the boy had even hit puberty, but Nile thought that Booker was secretly very pleased that he had inherited Sebastian’s love of books. Nile and Joe had been teasing Booker about it in the garage one Sunday while Fabien was off hiking with Andy and Nicky and Luc were at the library. </p><p>“You’ll have to see if he starts making Italian hand gestures soon.” Joe called out from the other side of a Harley he was working on. They always needed maintenance and the Old Garage was all too happy to provide it. Booker was sitting in the chair next to Nile’s worktable, checking their old fashioned paper books while chatting with them. </p><p>“Yeah, that’s when you’re really going to lose him.” Nile agreed from where she was struggling to connect the cooling lines under the hood of her Camaro. Booker didn’t even look up from his notepad as he responded. </p><p>“My Luc will always be more French than Italian, even if he does pick up bad habits from your Nicky.” </p><p>“You say that now, Nicky’s going to introduce him to Italian poetry sooner rather than later.” Joe warned, making a face as he saw what a mess the pistons were. </p><p>“I have more of a literature doctorate than anyone else here.” Booker drawled, looking up from the numbers at last, “I will not be out of depth discussing the merits of Italian poetry with my son. Or the merits of vastly superior French poetry.” </p><p>Before Joe could respond that Arabic poetry was the most superior form of the art, Nile cut it.</p><p>“Have you ever thought about finishing your degree? You could be a professor if you wanted.” </p><p>Booker looked surprised and then thoughtful, and Joe looked like he wanted to hear the answer to her question as well, already moving past his interrupted rejoinder. </p><p>“I guess I never thought about it.” Booker admitted at length. “I only have a year or so of revisions left. If I could pull together a committee it wouldn’t be the longest process. I’ll look into it more once the boys settle in.” He decided, turning back to the pad in his lap. Nile and Joe made eye contact over the Harley and he gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. He liked the idea of Booker building himself back up too. </p><p>The trio resumed working, Joe turning the volume up on his speaker so they could all nod along to his specialized Sunday playlist. The doors to the garage were down as the shop was closed on Sundays and every other Monday for them to either take the day or catch up on those projects that were personal or taking more time than anticipated. A chill had started to descend over the past week, though it was too soon to start up the ancient heater. For the moment they made due with long sleeves and sweaters under their coveralls, making them look a little like stuffed dolls. At least, that’s what Nile felt like with her wool sweater inhibiting movement. Joe looked like a movie star with his black turtleneck underlayer that brought out his dark hair and glowing skin. Andy seemed impervious to the cold for the most part, but was now wearing a black t-shirt most days instead of her typical black tank top. Booker and Nicky were more insulated from the cold inside, and they both had miniature space heaters to keep them warm. Nile thought it was thoroughly unfair but wasn’t yet cold enough to buy one for herself. </p><p>Moving into her own place last week had been an amazing change of pace, and Nile had found herself spreading out in a way she hadn’t even realized she was craving. She was buying, albeit slowly, furniture and home decor that actually matched her style and no one else’s. When she did the dishes no one else, unless the boys were over, added more to the sink while she wasn’t looking. She could sleep through the night or work as late as she pleased with no roommates to judge or get in the way of her flow. Her degree program was picking up and she had been forced to work less hours at the shop as a result. She missed the easy banter and problem solving of the garage, but it was either dropping time there or seeing Luc and Fabien less, and she couldn’t let go of what time she was able to spend with them. Most of the time together was just her picking them up after school in Booker’s Honda while he was finishing up at work or reading them a few chapters from a book before bed or cheering Luc on at his Saturday games, but the moments were precious and Nile treasured them. </p><p>Her mother had expressed some suspicion at Nile’s choice of apartment. “Is it because you don’t pay rent or that large handsome man I met?” She had asked, completely straight to the point the second Nile told her she’d moved. Both her mother and her brother had visited over the summer last year, Indy fresh off his freshman year of college at UChicago and her mother on some hard earned vacation time. They had met the group and Indy and Joe had hit it off like long lost brothers. Nile was fairly sure they texted regularly. Nile’s mother, meanwhile, had bonded with Nicky in the kitchen while they cooked enough food to feed everyone ten times over. Nile’s mother had been insistent that Indy, Joe, and Andy needed to eat more and Nicky had agreed wholeheartedly. She was fairly sure they still had leftovers frozen in one of their fridges. </p><p>“I never liked those girls,” her mom had told her, “I never wanted to tell you because you were all such good friends in undergrad but they never looked after you the way you looked after them.” Nile had teared up a bit at that. No one had stated the problem quite so clearly but, that was the power of motherhood she supposed. </p><p>“So he has two boys now? That’s a big sign of trust to be so involved in their lives,” Nile could hear her mother’s warning, crystal clear over the phone speaker, “you need to know exactly what you want, and what you can give if anything changes between you two.” Her mother, of course, had seen right through her complicated emotions without having to ask. Nile hadn’t known how to respond but her mother chuckled, the familiar sound comforting despite it being at her expense. “I’m not saying it will, just if you’re considering it. It wouldn’t be like dating those twenty somethings you’ve been stringing along.” </p><p>Nile had objected loudly to that, and their conversation moved on, but her mother’s words had been stuck in her head all week. Where were they heading? They’d been spending more time together, but always around the boys or someone from the garage. There hadn’t been any conversation about the shift between them, just an acknowledgement something had. Nile thought that she could be content with that, for now. With school picking up and the boys to help care for she had more than enough on her plate to be willingly adding an intrepid romance with an older, single father, and longtime friend. </p><p>What was she thinking? </p><p>Before she was able to answer that question the sound of shattering glass shook her from her thoughts and she smacked her head on the underside of the Camaro hood in her haste to look up and around for the source of the sound. Just as she was about to look around for the source of the noise Joe grabbed her and pulled her against the garage door, holding her tightly against his chest. A moment later two bricks came sailing through the high windows of the garage doors, broken glass falling onto them but the bricks sailing overhead and Nile winced as one landed squarely on the roof of her car. </p><p>She and Joe stayed huddled together for a moment, waiting anxiously to see if there was anything coming after the bricks, but no more violence came. </p><p>“Book, you okay?” Joe called out and released Nile, the two of them carefully brushing off glass shards as they stood.</p><p>“Oui.” Booker responded, coming out from behind one of the two concrete pillars that separated their work stations and held up the roof. He reached for the brick on Nile’s car and grimaced before tossing it to Joe. Nile came up behind him to read the marks written in blue on the red brick, confused. </p><p>“Cowards?” Joe said aloud, “What-?” </p><p><br/>He was interrupted by Booker tossing Nile the brick that had flown through the window of the first bay. Luckily, Andy didn’t have anything parked there. </p><p>“Race.” Nile read aloud for Joe, her heart sinking into her stomach. </p><p>“They did this over us not racing?” Joe asked, his shock clear on his face. “Who would do that?” </p><p>Booker only hmmed, already looking for the broom and dust pan. </p><p>“Someone who wanted to face us but didn’t get a chance I suppose.” Nile responded, kneeling down to collect the larger pieces of glass. “I don’t think Izod told the other racers a timeline, just that we were taking a break.” </p><p>“This is insane.” Joe declared, his voice harsh but his movements gentle as he knelt to help Nile. Booker was sweeping silently in the other bay. “We’ve had rivalries but nothing that has gotten this personal.”</p><p>“There’s a reason we don’t get involved in gang sponsored races.” Booker agreed. </p><p>“Do you know who it could be?” Nile asked Joe, dumping her handful of glass in the trash can. Joe shook his head mournfully. </p><p>“No one even came close these past few races, if someone has a grudge it’s not someone we’ve competed against lately.” </p><p>“Yeah but winning ruffles feathers too.” Nile pointed out, but Joe only shook his head again, harder this time.</p><p>“I don’t see the people we beat doing this.” He said adamantly, “They were upset and embarrassed but not furious enough to do this.” He gestured to the small bits of glass Booker was now sweeping up. His brow crinkled the way it only did when he was thinking hard and he pinched the bridge of his nose. </p><p>“What?” Nile asked, and Joe gestured in Booker’s direction, whose face was neutral as he emptied the pan. </p><p>“Was there anyone we were supposed to race?” Joe asked him. “Coming up, before we went on hold was there someone who would’ve stood a chance to beat us?” </p><p>Booker shrugged.</p><p>“I’d have to check the books.” </p><p>Both Joe and Nile looked over to the scattered pen, book, and pad of paper by the Camaro and back to him. Booker made an exacerbated french sound and waved his hand.</p><p>“Those are the real books, I’m talking about the ones I use for the other side of the business.” </p><p>“They’re not here?” Nile asked, surprised. Booker looked sheepish.</p><p>“I didn’t want any cops to find them if they got suspicious and searched the place.” </p><p>In retrospect, that was a very intelligent thing to do. </p><p>“Good thinking Seb.” Nile said. Booker’s sheepish look transformed into a proud grin, Nile could see Joe’s answering grin beside her. </p><p>“So where are the racing ones?” He asked after a moment when Booker didn’t immediately offer the information.</p><p>“Oh! Yeah, it’s in my car.” </p><p>“You just keep it in your car?” Nile exclaimed. “Something that important?”</p><p>“What do you just toss it in the back?” Joe demanded, laughing as the three of them left through the normal sized door by Andy’s bay. </p><p>“None of you had a problem with this when you didn’t know.” Booker reminded them. In the bright light of the afternoon, it was almost easy to look over the three holes in the glass of the shop. They still had to clean up the glass from the one in the waiting room, it’s much larger window completely shattered and a brick laying inside. </p><p>Booker unlocked his car and pulled the passenger seat as far forward as it would go. With practiced hands he took off the lever that adjusted the angle of the back of the chair and there, carefully placed inside, was a USB. </p><p>“I thought you only used real books.” Joe told him, confused. </p><p>“I’d prefer to,” Booker admitted, putting the false lever and chair back in position, “but I figured that would make them look for something that looks like a book.” </p><p>“You really thought this through.” Nile said, impressed. </p><p>“Believe it or not,” he told them as they walked to the office, “this isn’t my first rodeo.” </p><p>Joe and Nile looked at each other behind his back, completely gobsmacked. Joe shrugged at Nile’s questioning expression and they both jogged to catch up with the taller man, who was now plugging the USB into their ancient computer. </p><p>“I feel as if I’ve never met you.” Joe joked while he and Nile positioned themselves over each shoulder. </p><p>“Had to get my way through school somehow,” Booker muttered as he opened the drive, “turns out I’m not a bad painter.” </p><p>Joe and Nile exchanged confused looks yet again, but were quickly distracted by the single excel doc that Booker pulled up. It was written in some sort of code, though each page of the document was clearly a year that they’d been racing. Even the numbers looked wrong, much too low for what the group had been making in recent years. </p><p>“Shit Book you really did a job here.” Joe muttered as he squinted at the screen. Booker clicked to the last sheet, this one shorter than the others but in the same code. </p><p>“Says here you had two races we pulled you from, both run by Izod. The first was last night and the second is in a week.” </p><p>“You can read that?” Joe asked.</p><p>“It’s been so long I just remembered it.” Booker confirmed and exited out of the document after surreptitiously saving it. </p><p>“What’s the key?” Nile asked.</p><p>“Don Quixote.” Booker admitted and Joe laughed, throwing his head back. </p><p>“You and that book man. I can’t believe our entire racing history is in your shitty Honda.” </p><p>“I still like books better.” Booker complained and pocketed the USB. </p><p>“So we need to get in touch with Izod and see who was at last night’s race.” Nile thought aloud. </p><p>“That sounds like an Andy job.” Booker replied, and Joe nodded in agreement.</p><p>“She is not going to like this.” He said sorrowfully, “I would hate to be the one to tell her.” He and Booker immediately raised their pointer fingers to their noses, leaving an exacerbated Nile to huff in annoyance. </p><p>“Seriously?” She clicked her tongue and went to get her phone from her bench. “That brick was right, you're both cowards.” She called over her shoulder, grinning at the loud objections from the two men ringing in her ears. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Surprising, but Not Unexpected</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The team gets some bad news that exposes clear faults in communication and planning. When faced with a difficult decision, how will they decide what's more important: their racing or the garage?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HI!!!! I'm SO sorry this update has been such a long time coming but I forgot how to write for the last several months and it was most distressing. I do have a new job so updates might be less frequent then they were before but they will be happening which most of us can agree is an improvement. </p>
<p>As always, this is entirely unbeta'd and unedited so plz be kind. </p>
<p>Thank you for your patience! Back to the story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is such a bad idea.” Nile's head was craned back and her neck was definitely going to start aching soon if she kept it that way. Joe shimmied along the wide branch that extended over the backyard from the massive tree that provided shade to most of the back. It’s branches always made the light that shone into Nile’s apartment in the mornings a soft green color, though the leaves were beginning to turn, and the shade it provided made the backyard a paradise for the boys. </p>
<p>She and Joe were attempting to create a tire swing for them to play on with an old castaway from the garage. That meant firmly tying the long rope currently curled at Nile’s feet around the thick branch that Joe was currently trying to not fall off of while Nicky distracted the boys with dinner preparations. Booker was finishing up at the shop and Andy was out in search of Izod, but both would be at the house in time for their Thursday dinners. Thursday used to be for going out, but Nile didn’t mind the change to more subdued evenings when they had two energetic kids to entertain them. </p>
<p>“For a woman of faith you have a remarkable lack of it in your fellow man.” Joe quipped from the branch. </p>
<p>“Oh I trust my fellow man, I don’t trust you clambering up a tree. I will laugh when you fall.” </p>
<p>“I thought we were partners in this?!” Joe objected. </p>
<p>“I thought we were going to use a ladder like intelligent people!” Nile shot back. </p>
<p>“Hush, this will be a wonderful surprise. Toss me the rope.” </p>
<p>Joe had anchored himself by wrapping his legs tightly around the wide branch and was now sitting up. Nile did have to admit that he looked much more stable than he had just a few moments ago. She still pursed her lips at him before reaching down to grab the rope. Joe caught it on the first toss, much to her annoyance. </p>
<p>“How should I tie this off?” He scratched his beard absentmindedly. </p>
<p>“A figure eight knot should do fine.” Nile called up to him. </p>
<p>“Maybe you should’ve been the one up here.” Joe mused as he twisted the rope around the large limb and began to awkwardly tie it off. </p>
<p>“There’s not enough money in the world.” Nile replied as she rolled the large tire beneath the rope. </p>
<p>“Is there a reason Joe has scaled my tree?” Booker called out as he strode into the backyard. He must have parked on the street, Nile hadn’t even heard his car. </p>
<p>“Booker this tree will be here long after you are not.” Joe told him, not bothering to look away from his work. Nile gave Book a smile when he was close enough and gestured at the tire now sitting in the grass. Booker nodded in understanding and smiled back as Joe continued. </p>
<p>“Therefore,” he began to awkwardly shimmy back down the long limb, “I do not think you could ostensibly claim it as your own.” </p>
<p>“Joe, how about you just focus on getting down without breaking anything yeah?” Nile cut in before they could start bickering and derail the whole process. Nile gestured to the tire and Booker but his bag down to help lift it up to the proper height. </p>
<p>“Any word from Andy?” She asked him quietly. He shook his head but it was difficult to read his expression with his sunglasses still on. </p>
<p>“She promised to be back by dinner.” He replied, and Nile nodded. She knew that of course, but it comforted her to know they were all on the same page about how anxious to be in regards to their situation. She began to wrap the rope around the tire as she thought. The rings they raced were replete with dangerous people, and honestly she included them in that statement. There were certain ‘incidents’ from the Garage’s early racing years that she was certain ended in blood. Andy refused to talk about them and Joe would just sigh and change the subject. Booker… She had never asked Booker. </p>
<p>Joe jumped the last few feet down from the tree and landed with a grunt. Booker snorted as Nile began to tie off the rope.</p>
<p>“I don’t envy the bill your knees are going to hand you once you're fifty.” </p>
<p>“Fifty? Try thirty, my body already aches like I played professional rugby.” </p>
<p>“I’ve got advil in the house if you need some.” </p>
<p>Joe waved him off and Nile tested the rope before stepping back. </p>
<p>“Okay! I think we’re good here!” </p>
<p>Booker let go of the tire and it began to spin gently, a couple feet off the ground and firmly fastened to the tall limb above them. </p>
<p>“This is wonderful guys, the boys are going to love it.” “Who said it was for the boys?” Joe joked, and took a running jump at the swing. It went spinning out wildly, Joe cackling loudly as he swung in a wide arc and arched his head back to stick his tongue out at them. Nile jumped when she heard loud shrieks from the direction of the house and she barely had time to turn around before Luc and Fabien were sprinting past her and Booker to the new swing. Nicky approached them at a more leisurely pace, a happy smile on his face as he watched Joe with the boys. Nile turned back to see Joe helping Luc on top of the swing and Fabien into it, making sure they both had a tight grip before pushing them into another large arch. Booker was wearing the largest smile she’d ever seen on him and her own cheeks were hurting from the force of her grin. </p>
<p>Behind them, the loud rumble of Andy’s engine made Nile turn to see the black truck pull up the driveway. The others hadn’t noticed, but Nile saw Andy step down from the truck with heavy steps and take in the scene. Her mouth was a grim, flat line and her eyes, once she took off her glasses, looked resigned. </p>
<p>Nile tapped Nicky’s side to get his attention. Booker turned a split second after the other man. Andy jerked her head to the house and she felt more than heard Nicky sigh. </p>
<p>“That doesn’t look like good news.” Booker muttered. </p>
<p>“No,” Nicky agreed, “It does not.” </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Joe sat back and laced his fingers behind his head. Pleasantly full and nursing an excellent pinot noir Nicky had chosen to go with dinner, he was in a good mood despite Andy’s news weighing over them like a steel raincloud. The boys, thankfully, hadn’t picked up on it so far as he could tell. Luc saw a lot more than he would ever confess to. Booker was putting them to bed while Nile and Andy took care of the kitchen once Joe had put the leftovers away. Nicky was at Booker’s large vinyl collection, choosing a selection for them to cover up their business conversation with. </p>
<p>Before Joe could take in more of the lines of Nicky’s back, or the tousled mess of his hair, a deep saxophone spoke over the speakers, causing him to chuckle. Nicky turned, wearing a soft smile and catching Joe in his intense sea glass stare. Billie Holiday began to sing happily and Joe rose to enter Nicky’s ready embrace, the two of them stepping around the living room to “Our Love Is Here to Stay”. Joe could feel his smile from earlier returning, his heart turning gently in his chest as Nicky’s large hand confidently curled around his. </p>
<p>“What are you thinking habibi?” He asked Nicky softly. </p>
<p>“Just that I am grateful.” </p>
<p>Joe hmmed and encouraged him to continue. </p>
<p>“For you. For our family. For all of this.” He nodded to Booker’s cozy house around them, parts of each of them reflected in the books on the shelves and the embroidery tucked in next to the couch. “I am not sure I ever thought that I was going to find something like this and, no matter what Andy’s news is, I am supremely grateful for it.” </p>
<p>“You are a beautiful soul Nicoló.” Joe whispered between their lips before closing in the last centimeter between them. Their kiss was as soft as a sigh and just as familiar, like coming home from a long trip away to discover your favorite dish was cooking in the kitchen. Joe’s heart settled in his chest and his eyes fluttered close as he tried to memorize this feeling. They broke apart millimeter by millimeter and kept their foreheads pressed together. </p>
<p>“This may not end as badly as we fear.” Joe pointed out and it was Nicky’s turn to hmm in agreement.</p>
<p>“Absolutely, there is always room for a happy ending.” The song came to a close and Nicky’s hands slid to Joe’s waist, pulling back to look at him seriously. His eyes slipped down to Joe’s lips before coming back up. “But Andy’s face did not look like good news.” </p>
<p>“No,” Joe agreed, sighing deeply and taking Nicky’s hands in his own. “It didn’t.” </p>
<p>Booker’s steps came down the stairs behind Joe and he chuckled at them. </p>
<p>“I knew you two would be dancing when I heard what you chose.” </p>
<p>“Would you like to dance?” Nicky offered his hand, but Andy came back into the living room with a topped off greyhound, Nile behind her with a glass of the Pinot Noir. </p>
<p>“They down?” She asked Booker, who nodded. Nicky dropped his hand and they settled into their seats. Nile perched in the worn armchair, Booker in the other with Nicky and Joe on the couch. Andy grabbed one of the wooden dining chairs and turned it around before sitting so she could rest her arms on it’s back. </p>
<p>“So what’d you find out boss?” Booker asked, leaning back into his chair and resting his right ankle on his left knee. </p>
<p>“Izod is committed to maintaining the privacy of their racers-”</p>
<p>“Which we expected.” Joe cut in, and Andy nodded.</p>
<p>“Which we expected. However, due to our longstanding relationship and the insane amount of money we’ve made them, they were willing to tell me three things. One. There is a new racer blowing past the competition since we’ve left. Two. No one knows who they are-”</p>
<p>“We know it’s not Nicky this time.” Nile joked, and the others chuckled. Andy continued without pausing.</p>
<p>“But they are racing a car the likes of which no one has ever seen. Apparently it rivals even our mechanics and no one is sure where it’s from or who made it.”</p>
<p>“But it is still legal to race?” Nicky asked, his eyebrows pinching together.</p>
<p>“Izod lets it race.” Izod was normally meticulous even if the rules of underground street racing weren’t cut in stone. If they let it race so would anyone else leading races the car was entered in.</p>
<p>“What’s the third thing?” Niled asked. </p>
<p>“They want to race us in an exclusive race. If we win we never have to worry about money again.”</p>
<p>“If they win?” Joe asked quietly. </p>
<p>“They get the garage and us to work for them, including all of the customizations we’ve made to our racing vehicles.” </p>
<p>There was a long pause as her words sunk in for all of them. </p>
<p>“We don’t have to though, right?” Nile said, confused. “We don’t have to race them if we don’t want to.” </p>
<p>Andy sighed heavily, Nile could see Booker watching the other woman with an intense but oddly sad gaze from the corner of her eyes.</p>
<p>“They’ve convinced our major circuits that we should be blacklisted unless we take them up on their challenge. Apparently we’ve pissed enough people off they’re looking for a way to get back.”</p>
<p>“Who the hell are these people?” Joe muttered, his face stormy. </p>
<p>“Why are they challenging us specifically?” Nile asked. “There are plenty of other races who have garages as a front and a decent winning record.” </p>
<p>“Because we haven’t lost in over four years.” Booker finally spoke, pausing to let the others take it in but continuing before they could object to his recordkeeping. “Joe was at his height for well over a year and a half when Nicky came along, and when Nicky joined the Garage his wins became ours. Since then every race we’ve entered one of our racers has come in first, if not sweeping the podium entirely or in part.” The others were silent as they absorbed the information. “Even the race runners started telling me not to put you in certain races because they were losing money in the betting pools.”</p>
<p>“We race as a team.” Andy said, her voice low. “Other people have teams that work on a single car. We have three record breaking cars and three record breaking drivers. We’ve got a bookie with connections to every track runner in the state and probably more. I own the best run money laundering business in the state outside of the drug game. We operate as a team in a way no one else does and it puts a huge target on our backs.”</p>
<p>Joe was rubbing his eyes tiredly and Nicky looked deep in thought. Andy’s face was carefully neutral and Booker looked vacant. </p>
<p>“I never thought to look at it like that.” Nile said. To her, and she would bet good money to Joe and Nicky too, they just had an extremely well run operation that other people would have similar versions of. They never touched the money or booked the races, they altered their cars and won the races. She felt slightly dizzy as she realized how simplistic of a view that was. </p>
<p>“Did you see this coming?” She asked Andy, then looked at Booker. “Did you?” </p>
<p>The look on Booker’s face made ice settle in her veins, though she kept her breaths even and calm, not betraying her anger that he had thought of this eventuality and failed to share it. Now they were all in danger and she, Joe, and Nicky were completely blindsided that they had been skating on the edge of the cliff for the last year at least. How did she not think that something like this could happen?</p>
<p>“Not like this.” Andy told her, reassuring Joe and Nicky as well. “We knew groups were getting frustrated and were formulating a plan when Luc and Fabien needed to come. It seemed like a good reason to take everyone out of the limelight for a while and buy ourselves some more time to plan.” </p>
<p>“And you never thought to warn us?” Nicky said, his voice low and his eyes piercing in the low light. Billie Holiday’s smooth tone felt grating in the tense atmosphere of the living room. Andy looked to Booker, who drew in a deep breath before responding. </p>
<p>“We didn’t think it would come to something like this so quickly.” He began, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “We were going to have a team meeting once the boys were more settled and discuss going out of state more, taking longer races with more publicity.”</p>
<p>“What like the damn cannonball run?” Joe cut in, his biting tone making it clear what he thought of that idea. </p>
<p>“We weren’t sure.” Booker told him earnestly. “We were going to bring it to you, but the more you’re kept out of the planning the better.” </p>
<p>Andy cut in before Joe could get out whatever he was about to say. </p>
<p>“You three are the most likely to get arrested at a race.” She reminded them, her tone becoming harsher as she lost patience. “The less you know about how we run things the more legally protected all of us are.” </p>
<p>“We can’t tell them anything if we don’t know anything.” Nile said, her voice monotone.</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Booker agreed, exchanging a glance with Andy. He turned to her but Nile looked away quickly, she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about the whole situation. She could see that Joe and Nicky were struggling as well, though Nicky looked as if he were coming to terms with their new situation faster than Joe, who was looking towards the bookshelf, which highlighted the ticking muscle in his jaw. Nicky took the hand that was on his thigh and moved it to his own thicker one, threading their fingers together. </p>
<p>“We understand why you kept this possibility from us,” Nicky said at length. “But please understand that for us this feels as if it were coming out of nowhere.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Andy said, her voice gentle again. “Take time to think about it, we can talk more later.” </p>
<p>“Think about what?” Joe cut in, turning back to them. “The way I see it we either never race again or race and run the risk of losing the shop and selling ourselves into the service of some unknown racer.” </p>
<p>“Not racing is an option.” Booker told him. “We all knew this couldn’t last forever, maybe our end has just come a little sooner than we anticipated.” </p>
<p>Joe stood up quickly, his hand leaving Nicky’s gently but his eyes blazing. He kept his voice low to not wake the boys but his words were strained and thick with emotion. </p>
<p>I’m not asking for forever Booker! We have years of racing left! Nile might even have a decade! I refuse to believe that we have raced our last race and not have even known that was it.” </p>
<p>“Well we could win.” Nicky pointed out. “It would still leave us with the popularity problem but we would at least be wealthy.” </p>
<p>“We know nothing about this racer.” Nile objected. “We don’t know who they are, what they’re driving, what modifications have been made…” </p>
<p>“Actually,” Booker raised a finger and Nile fought to not roll her eyes at the old man gesture, “I can go to some of my contacts on the supply side, see who’s been ordering custom or unusual parts. This car wasn’t created in a vacuum, it had to be sourced from somewhere.” </p>
<p>“And if we find who ordered the parts we’ll know what and maybe even who we’re up against.” Joe finished, liking the idea. </p>
<p>“Booker, talk to whoever you need to talk to.” Andy put down her empty glass and stood. “I’ll tell Izod that we’re still thinking it over and need time. The three of you, figure out what needs to happen to make your cars fast enough to face whatever the hell this beast is.” She shrugged on her leather jacket and took her keys off the hook.</p>
<p>“Whoever this is needs to know that you can’t mess with us.” </p>
<p>“Yes boss.” They chorused as she left, the door closing softly behind her. The needle began skipping on the vinyl in the awkward silence that followed. </p>
<p>“I am sorry we didn’t tell you.” Booker told them all, “We had no idea something this big would come up so fast.” </p>
<p>“You couldn’t have anticipated this,” Joe agreed, and gave the sad looking man a hug, “we know you’re both just trying to protect us.” </p>
<p>“There’s protection and then there’s blindness, we kept you in the dark for too long.” </p>
<p>“Something you can fix in the future.” Nicky agreed, giving Booker a crooked smile. “Anyone want some tea and dessert?” </p>
<p>“I’ll have hibiscus.” Joe and Nile said in chorus.</p>
<p>The group made their way back into the kitchen, Joe with his arm around Booker’s shoulder. </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A Mystery and a Realization</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Booker finds a frustrating dead end while Joe and Nicky come to terms with their new reality.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Soooo.... I've sort of changed the entire plot of this fic? Don't worry I think this version is better I just took such a long break my plot notes no longer made sense to me! </p><p>Anyways, please enjoy and comment if you'd like!</p><p>Hope y'all are well:)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Booker let his eyes unfocus as he sat in the crowded cafe patio, his espresso still too hot to drink but cooling rapidly in the chilly air. A proper cold front had swept through the area over the weekend and the Garage had finally been forced to turn on its ancient but powerful heaters. The first couple of hours with them running had all of their mechanics sweating and stripped down to underlayers, so Nicky was now in charge of selectively turning it on and off depending on when it got too hot. As if that wasn’t going to have any repercussions. </p><p>His boys, meanwhile, celebrated the chill by getting incredibly homesick for the life they had left behind. D.C. had wonderful falls full of turning tree leaves and pumpkin patches that this area of California just couldn’t match. It being this chilly in October was more out of character than the weather normally was this time of year. Booker began to fold his napkin into smaller and smaller triangles, trying to figure out if he should attempt to cheer them up or stay with them in their moment of melancholy. </p><p>He was just deciding to ask Nicky his opinion when Copley walked up to the table, his keen eyes taking in everyone around them while they sat. Copley was an old work acquaintance of Booker’s, nothing close enough to be called a friend but he had been helpful in getting Joe and Nicky together, so Booker considered him a level closer than most suppliers. The majority of Copley’s business was legitimate, but the bulk of the business the Garage did with him was anything but. Selling illegally obtained car parts, cleaning money, procuring parts illegally or even stealing their blueprints, Copley was the man to know. He was the sole reason Joe’s one of a kind Comaro even existed. The parts they’d needed had been discontinued and bought up by a single buyer but Copley had not only found them for Joe, he found replacements if they needed them. </p><p>As any good mechanic knows- you’re always going to need them eventually. </p><p>On the side Copley was a wealthy enough man to dabble in movies, which was how he had known Nicky in his stunt driver days, though he claimed he was mostly out of that business now. Too busy building unimaginably expensive racing cars for the children of the world’s elite. </p><p>Booker didn’t say anything as the other man sat, the two of them regarding each other from across the table in silence for a moment. </p><p>“I’m sorry to hear about your wife.” Copley began, “but I’m glad to hear your boys are back where they belong.” </p><p>“She’s their mother, she had just as much right as I do.” Booker told him roughly. They may not have been on good terms when she died, but she had done everything she thought was best for the boys and she had been right to do so. </p><p>Copley’s shirt creased at the shoulders with his shrug but he didn’t respond. His eyes didn’t look remorseful. </p><p>“I’m here on business.” Booker continued, and that got Copley’s attention. </p><p>“Yes, you weren’t overly specific in your text. Are you selling or buying?” Copley leaned back in his chair and turned to rest an elbow on the back of it. He now had a better view of the three other occupants of the patio, all of them too far away to hear them properly. </p><p>“Neither. I’m interested in someone who might be buying from you.” </p><p>This made Copley straighten. </p><p>“I don’t tattle on my buyers Booker, you know that. Bad for business.” </p><p>Booker sighed and took a sip of his coffee. He knew Copley was going to make this difficult, he was just worried he would make it too difficult. Too difficult problems became Andy problems and Andy problems often ended up in the hospital. </p><p>“Consider it me calling in one of my many favors.” </p><p>“I’m not sure any of the favors I owe you are of this magnitude.” </p><p>“Combine them.” </p><p>“Booker-”</p><p>Booker finally leaned forward, cutting him off. He took his sunglasses off slowly.</p><p>“Copley, you’ve been good to us, which is why you’re talking to me right now. I’m step one. Step two drives a dually and keeps an axe in the back and we don’t have a step three. Let’s not have to go to step two, yeah?” </p><p>He could see Copley’s throat click as he swallowed, looking around at the other patrons again. Copley may work in the black market, but it was a well kept secret that he couldn’t actually handle violence. </p><p>“If you want to know about this mystery vehicle I really can’t tell you anything.” He said at last, finally making eye contact with Booker again. “Their leash is a lot longer and tighter than yours, scary as Andy might be.”</p><p>“Is it the money? Or are they threatening you too?” </p><p>Now it was Booker’s turn to look casual, understanding Copley’s shiftiness more after he answered.</p><p>“Started as the first and presently it’s the second. Just trying to keep my feet above the sharks, you know how it is.”</p><p>“It’d be a lot easier if you avoided shark infested water.” </p><p>Booker sighed the sentence out as he stood and pulled a few bills from his wallet. Copley was going to be a dead end if there was someone he was more scared of than Andy. </p><p>“So says the shark.” Copley shot back. “Say, do your boys know yet? Or are you just going to let them find out their new family isn’t who they say they are on their own?”</p><p>Booker didn’t respond and something deep in his gut clinched. He left, not bothering to say goodbye. </p><p>“Just some food for thought!” Copley tossed over his shoulder and Booker fought not to let his shoulders hunch in as the thought burrowed into his brain, his mind already conjuring the betrayed faces of his boys if they found out what they really did. </p><p>---</p><p>Joe lay awake on his back, eyes open and staring slightlessly at the ceiling fan above him. Nicky’s regular breathing could be heard over the blades’ whirrling, his back rising and falling gently under Joe’s hand. The soft material of his sleep shirt was a familiar and calming texture under his hand but it did little to settle the itch currently crawling over his skin, the rapid fire of the synapsis in his brain as they struggled with too little input in this tiny dark room. </p><p>Nicky must have heard Joe’s brain grinding itself into his skull because he turned suddenly, Joe could see the bird’s nest his hair had become out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t turn, but laced his fingers together with Nicky’s as the other man studied him in the dim street lamp that shone through their bedroom window.</p><p>“You are restless.” It was not a question. Nicky’s voice was still thick with sleep but he sounded alert, certain in his statement. Joe finally turned to meet his eye.</p><p>“You aren't?” </p><p>Nicky made a considering noise, turning from his side onto his back and pulling his and Joe’s intertwined hands up to his chest. </p><p>“I am not unhappy.” He began, then paused to collect more of his thoughts. “I am missing it though.” He admitted. </p><p>Joe felt something in his chest loosen in knowing that Nicky felt a similar way. <br/>
“What are we going to do? If we can’t race anymore.” Joe asked, and Nicky shook his head.</p><p>“It will not happen.” He said definitively, and Joe envied and admired his faith in their family. When Joe didn’t respond after a few moments Nicky turned back to his side, propping his head up onto his hand and looking down at him. </p><p>“Let’s race.” </p><p>“We have to race Nicky, that’s the whole dilemma happening here.” </p><p>Nicky rolled his eyes.</p><p>“No. I mean now, let’s race.” </p><p>Joe felt like Nicky had just clicked two puzzle pieces together that he had been looking at for hours. If his heart could glow with love for this man, it would most certainly be shining out of his chest in this moment.</p><p>“Just the two of us?” </p><p>“Just how it used to be.” Nicky murmured as he leaned down to give Joe a kiss. Joe smiled through it, the familiar sense of adrenaline beginning to flow through his veins. </p><p>“Let’s race.” </p><p>---</p><p>Forty minutes later Joe sat in the comfortable seat of his Camaro, the engine rumbling like a pleased cat below him and Nicky’s repaired Spyder thrumming much more quietly in the lane next to him. The itch below his skin that had been building over the last several weeks was bleeding away with every minute he sat with his hands on the wheel, his foot firm on the clutch and break as he waited for Nicky’s count. </p><p>This was dangerous. This was ill advised. This was by all accounts a really terrible idea. They were about to race without any spotters to watch for cops, without Andy to foresee road conditions, and without Booker to pay off anyone they got a little too close to. It was like back in Joe’s very early days of racing, before he had the money and reputation to join the secure circles he was in now. This was nothing but risk and racing and Joe’s veins were thrumming in anticipation, his fingers twitching on the wheel and his mind processing information so rapidly every second felt like an eternity.</p><p>“Three.” Nicky’s voice sounded in his ear, calm as always but with an under layer of excitement mostly covered by the tension of his lazer focus. Joe shivered at his tone, Nicky in the driver’s seat was one of his favorite places for Nicky to be. His smooth control was intoxicating and the best kind of distracting, Joe had lost races because of Nicky’s cool voice in his ear over the radio, though he felt better Nicky had come in seconds behind him for many of the same reasons too often to count. </p><p>“Two.” Joe’s thoughts were ripped back to the road in front of them. It was a backroad unlikely to be experiencing any traffic this late in the evening, or rather, early in the morning. Andy was going to give them hell tomorrow for showing up to work so exhausted but he could feel it deep in his bones, they needed this. </p><p>“One.” Time snapped like rubberband and suddenly things were moving at a speed Joe would have never thought possible if he had never started racing. He flooded his gas lines as much as he dared to get out of neutral, aware of Nicky’s hair’s breadth advantage of being the counter ahead of him. They both shot forward, stationary one second and speeding down the road the next. </p><p>Nicky’s Spyder had the jump on him, as it always did, but Joe was calm and his hands were sure on the wheel. The Spyder was long and low, almost more like an F-1 racing car than a normal street car, which meant that his Comaro could eat up plenty of ground on the turns, its heavier body keeping the wind from sneaking beneath the front fender. His RPMs got to five thousand before he let it drop down to three and a half, taking the inside of a tight turn that made Nicky fully downshift next to him. Joe shot out inches ahead of his lover, but their race was far from done. </p><p>Joe felt a wide grin across his face and he realized with genuine surprise that it had been there from the moment he’d stepped his foot to the gas. He’d missed this. God he’d missed this. Had it only been a few weeks? It felt like an eternity now as he and Nicky fought to outpace the other on the dark and twisting roads. How had he ever agreed to stop? <em>How</em> could he ever agree to stop again? The road flew by beneath his tired and the world melted away as the dashed lines of the median became a solid blur, the Spyder right next to him, exactly where it belonged. </p><p>A wild laughed escaped him, and he could hear Nicky’s quieter chuckle over the radio. </p><p>“How did we ever let this go habibi?” Joe asked, jubilant as they hugged a particularly tight curve, rapidly approaching a small town where he’d have the opportunity to really leave Nicky in the dust. He realized belatedly that it might have been the reason Nicky suggested this path, and his heart glowed a little bit more at the considerate actions of his beloved. Nicky hated losing. </p><p>“Because we had a good cause to my love.” Nicky responded, bringing Joe crashing back down to the earth. His foot never let up off the gas, but his smiled faded as he thought. Nikcy was right, they had more responsibilities then they had ever had. Two young boys looked up to them, relied on them to drive them to soccer practice and the library and to help them make dinner. Sebastian relied on them. Nile and Andy too. </p><p>Joe had found a family when Andy and Quynh had taken him in. The three of them had been good together, wonderful even. Then Quynh’s long death had shattered Andy in ways he hadn’t known was possible. It had shattered him in it’s own way too. Andy had come back to herself eventually, if a little harder, a little quieter. She’d found someone to commiserate in with Booker, and he’d found someone to lift them up with Nile. They’d been a family, one that Nicky had joined effortlessly. </p><p>Now, however, he realized the truth. They hadn’t been a family. He, Andy, and Quynh were once, but the five of them had just been very good friends up until a few weeks ago. Now they relied on each other in ways they never had before. Not just for company, but for child care and housing and meals and paying the bills and so many things he was shocked to realize how much their lives had become inextricably linked some much more than he had realized. If Joe didn’t show up to soccer practice, Luc wouldn’t have a coach. If Andy didn’t pick up all of their groceries, each of them would have to find time in their ridiculously busy weeks to do so. Nile helped tutor the boys, he and Nicky helped make dinner constantly, Booker kept the business running, provided Nile with housing, and managed to find time to watch Manchester United with Joe at least twice a month. </p><p>They were with each other for the things that were hard and there to enjoy the things that were easy. If any of them couldn’t handle something another would cover, but their presence would be sorely missed. They provided and protected and loved one another so fiercely there was no word for them but family. That was what had been worth it. The family that they had become. </p><p>“Joe?” Nicky’s voice was concerned over the speaker in Joe’s ear and he realized suddenly that he was stopped in the right lane. Nicky a ways ahead of him, his tailights bright in the darkness. </p><p>“Are you okay Joe?” It sounded like it wasn’t the first time he’d asked. Joe cleared his throat before responding and realized there were tears in his eyes.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah I’m good. You’re right, family is a good cause.” </p><p>Nicky didn’t respond right away, clearly gauging the mood that Joe was in. </p><p>“Yes, our family is the best cause.” He paused. “Would you like to go home.” </p><p>Joe cleared his throat again and revved his engine. </p><p>“Let’s finish this.” </p><p>He was gone between one moment and the next, laughing as Nicky swore and hurried to catch up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/waiting-for-kevin-and-charlie">tumblr</a>, my inbox and asks are always open. </p><p>(Also lowkey thinking of making this a Book of Nile fic? (obviously I hate it here read the book of nile manifesto) but let me know what y'all think!)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>